50 ways you've shown that you love me
by Georgy-Girl
Summary: AU- Zoe thinks the only way for someone to know that you love them is to tell them, but Max proves her wrong time and time again.
1. Love

2 years of marriage, and Zoe could count on one hand the number of times she'd told Max she loved him. Every day in ED she was surrounded by people telling others they loved them, and hearing it said back, but still she struggled. She knew why- she was scared if she said it, Max would change. Like Nick had. She watched others with fascination when they were able to tell their friends so lightly that they loved them, but still she held back. Until today. Today, she'd looked after a couple in their 90's who had been in a car accident. They'd insisted that their beds be pushed closer to one another, and as they both lay dying, they spent their last few minutes reassuring each other. They'd passed with a smile.

…

"Max!"

Max cringed when he heard Zoe call his name. He knew that tone well enough to know she wanted to talk about something important, and with Zoe that was never a good thing. They'd been married 2 years and 4 times already he'd had to talk Zoe down after she'd panicked that she'd done the wrong thing. He knew now that it wasn't him she sometimes regretted, but instead it was thinking of when she'd been happy in the past only for everything to go wrong. She was a jump before she was pushed sort of person.

Max turned reluctantly around in the lift and was glad to see the doors were already closing, but seeing a doctor rushing towards them, Lofty held the door and Zoe entered breathlessly a few seconds later. "Were you trying to get away from me?"

"Might have been." Max replied, smiling when Zoe reached around him to take the curly wurly from his back pocket. Perhaps she didn't want to talk about something important, after all.

Opening the packet, Zoe took a large, grateful bite of the chocolate. When the doors opened on the next floor, she stepped out and turned back. "Thanks, I needed that."

"You're welcome." Max smiled as the doors begin to close.

Just before they shut completely, Zoe suddenly called out, "I love you, Max."

Max couldn't hide the Cheshire cat like grin that spread over his face. Glancing at Lofty who was pretending to be engrossed in what he was reading because he was still slightly terrified of Zoe, Max elbowed him. "Did you hear that?"

…

"You're making me nervous," Max supplied as he took a drag of his cigarette. Zoe had been stood next to him silently for the last 5 minutes.

"I'm just thinking."

"I know, and that's what's making me nervous."

"Ready you two?" Robyn asked as she exited the ED that evening. She'd organised a party for Lofty and had insisted on getting a lift back to her house with Max and Zoe, because she knew if they were left on their own they'd probably never show up.

"Well I am, not sure about this one though. I think she's in a mood." Max smirked as he stubbed out his cigarette.

"I'm not in a mood!" Zoe snapped, watching with a frown as Robyn handed a 10 pound note to Max. "I hate it when you two bet on me."

"But you don't hate it when I buy you chocolate with the money. Come on, grumpy." Max grabbed Zoe's hand and pulled her towards the car.

"Did you remember to get Lofty a present?" Robyn asked as she settled into the backseat.

"I thought me being there would be present enough, since we all know he loves me." Max offered.

"I don't think everyone loves you as much as you think they do, Max." Robyn smiled as max poked a tongue out at her in the rear-view mirror.

"I do." Zoe spoke.

Max and Robyn made eye contact in the mirror again and Max gave her a small shrug. Twice in one day was something of a record.

"Enough to let me drive your precious car?" He asked hopefully.

"…Ok."

Max almost gave himself whiplash with the speed he turned his head to look at the wife who usually made him sit very still in her car so he wouldn't touch anything. "Pardon?"

"You can drive on the way home, that way I can drink."

"Knew there would be a catch in there somewhere. I'm not sure Robyn has brought enough alcohol for you to get drunk."

As Zoe took a swipe at Max's leg, he glanced up at Robyn in the rear-view mirror again.

'What's got into her?' She mouthed.

Max gave another shrug, then rested his head back happily.

….

"You weren't joking when you said she could drink." Robyn stood next to Max who was leaning against the wall watching Zoe as she danced with a possibly equally as drunk Lofty.

"I guess she had a bad day."

When they'd arrived, the first person Zoe met was Max's girlfriend from college. A young, pretty woman who hugged Max and told him how much she missed him as soon as they clamped eyes on one another. That was when Zoe downed her first drink. Since then, every time she heard someone telling another person their feelings so easily, Zoe had another drink.

"How many has she had?" Robyn frowned as Lofty and Zoe attempted to slow dance, leaving them both giggling.

"No idea. You go for him and I'll go for her."

Brother and sister both set forward, and a moment later strong arms wrapped around Zoe's waist. "Hey, the pizza has just arrived, why don't we go and have something to eat?"

As Robyn pulled Lofty away from her, Zoe turned in Max's arms and shook her head. "I'm fine. Dance with me."

"If I dance with you for the rest of this song, will you have something to eat?"

"Promise." Zoe grinned as she wrapped her arms around Max's neck, marvelling aloud at how well they seemed to fit together.

Smiling to himself, Max dropped a kiss to Zoe's head. "You know why? Because we're soul mates."

Zoe gave a sigh, resting her head against Max's chest. "I wish I could say things like that, but I just don't know how to."

 _'So that's what this is about'_ Max thought to himself. Dropping another kiss to her head, he danced silently with her until the song finished and then dropped one hand to take hers, hitting her bum with the other one. "Come on, dinner time."

…

Zoe stood outside the bathroom into which Max had just rushed a partygoer, and paced up and down. "Max." When he didn't reply, she called louder. "Max!"

"I'll be out in a minute. Why don't you go and find Robyn."

Sighing, Zoe leant against the wall. "I can't. I miss you. Hey! Did you hear that? I said it, Max! I just said it, I wasn't overthinking it, I just-"

Her words were cut off my Max's mouth descending on hers. "Well done. Can you please go and fine Robyn?"

Sighing, Zoe nodded. Max smiled to himself as Zoe told someone she passed in the corridor, "I'm married to him, you know. Great bum."

…

"Maybe it's time we went home, Zo." Max attempted an hour later.

"I can't. I'm about to start beating your ex-girlfriend at Monopoly." Zoe reached for the wine bottle and frowned when she found it empty.

"Monopoly? It's 1 in the morning, Zoe, and we have to work tomorrow. Today!"

"I hope I can be the shoe. I know it's a boot, but it's better than being the Iron. She should be the iron. She'd make perfect wife material, she's polite, she does what everyone asks her to and did you know she's a chef? She could cook some amazing dinners. You missed out there."

Stepping forward, Max replaced the half full wine glass in Zoe's hand for a glass of water. When she frowned at it, he added, "White wine. We're out of red."

Zoe took a swig of the water and considered it. "Nice. Good choice."

Max nodded, reaching out to tuck some hair behind her ear. He was worried. He hadn't been able to find out what had happened at work, but whatever it was it seemed to have affected Zoe. "I didn't miss out, because I met you."

Zoe gave a soft laugh. "I'm grumpy, I'm rude, I don't appreciate you-"

"But I love you."

Zoe sighed and rested against Max as he wrapped his arms around her. "I bet she'd be able to tell you she loves you more than once in a blue moon."

"Probably, but it wouldn't mean much. You know what means more than words? Actions. And you show me every day that you love me. I think I'm the luckiest man in the world."

Zoe rested there silently for a long time and then finally asked, "Can we go home, Max?"


	2. 1

Zoe sat with a thud onto the chair behind her desk. Only half way through her shift and she was already exhausted. Her hangover wasn't helping matters either. With a sigh she attempted to focus her attention on her emails, most of which were from Connie. Half way down the page, she suddenly spotted Max's name and opened the email with a frown.

 ** _Subject_** _: How you've shown me that you love me- #1._

 _When you passed me standing in the corridor today, thinking I was doing nothing (I was actually doing something, and you might have heard what if you'd let me get a word in) and you thought of all the patients waiting for a porter downstairs, you decided to yell at me. Not a little bit either, but proper yelling that could be heard in the bathroom next door (in which was the patient I was waiting for, just fyi). You stormed off, then in true Zoe style you realised there was something you'd forgotten to yell at me about and came back. Except this time you found Connie yelling at me for doing nothing. Did you agree with her, because she was repeating exactly what you'd just been saying? No, you stood between us and told Connie you'd asked me to wait there for a patient (which I was.). You let Connie yell at you instead._

 _#1- When you love someone and you see them being yelled at, you step in because you'd rather be yelled at yourself than watch the other person get in trouble._

 _Max_

 _-Porter extraordinaire_

 _-Married to someone with a medical degree_

 _-Really good looking_

 _-Loves doctor's bottoms_

 _-Great in bed_

Zoe sat back when she finished reading the email with a smile on her face. After a few moments of re-reading, she clicked reply.

 ** _Subject_** _: Re: How you've shown me that you love me._

 _You do realise this is my work email and it regularly gets audited?_

 _Zoe_

 _-Has medical degree_

 _\- Has nice bottom_

 _-Has a husband who thinks he's great in bed and really good looking._

Max smiled to himself when his phone alerted him to a new email. It was only 5 hours into a shift and Zoe had already had 5 coffees, so he wasn't expecting a response so quickly.

 ** _Subject_** _: Re: Re: How you've shown that you love me._

 _I know, but frankly I find emailing your personal one a little weird. I mean ZH4MW is a little childish, don't you think?_

 _Max_

 _-Can withhold bedroom activities if not stimulating enough._

Zoe was half way through writing an email back to Connie when Max's reply came through and she bit her lip to suppress a smile as Lofty poked his head around the door.

"How's the head?"

"About to explode, I think."

"Mine too. Do you…ah…remember anything about last night? Only I'm hearing rumours about something I did and Robyn won't tell me anything."

Zoe considered this, but all she remembered after arriving was at one point attempting to lure Max into the garden to have sex on a trampoline. Blushing at the memory, Zoe gave a shrug. "Nothing much. I'll see what I can get out of Max and let your know."

"Thanks, Zoe. You know, you're not as scary as I thought you were."

"I'll take that as a compliment." Zoe laughed.

 ** _Subject_** _: Stop emailing this account._

 _GO AWAY._

 _Zoe_

 _-You'd last a day._

 ** _Subject_** _: Challenge accepted._

 _Look, can you stop emailing me please; I'm really busy working._

 _Max._

As Zoe went to reply, Max passed by the doorway, saying loudly to Robyn, "The amount of time doctor's spend on computers these days, it's a wonder any patients get treated."


	3. 2

When Zoe entered the staffroom before her shift the next morning, Robyn was alone in there with her head down.

"Ok, Robyn?"

Embarrassed, Robyn scrubbed the tears from her face and attempted a smile. "Morning!"

"What's the matter?" Zoe approached the nurse and rubbed her arm.

"…You know how I had a blind date last night? Well, he didn't show up. Didn't even send a text. I was sat there for 2 hours waiting by myself like an idiot."

"He's the idiot, Robyn. You're lucky you weren't sat there with a complete arsehole all night."

Robyn gave a slight smile. "That's easy for you to say. Look at me and then look at you."

Max walked in just as Robyn finished speaking. "Oh, are we talking about our favourite bits of Zoe's body? I'm good at this game."

As Max approached with a grin, Zoe put a hand up and shook her head. His smile fading, he looked between them, then watched in silence as Robyn left the room.

"What happened?" Max asked as the door shut.

Taking the coffee from his hand, Zoe sighed. "Don't ask. Max, having a donut for breakfast?!"

Max smiled, holding it out. "I should have learnt to buy two by now."

Zoe bit into the donut and gave him a seductive smile before leaving the room.

…

"Robyn, I've been thinking…why don't you come over tonight? Wine, pizza, bad movies?"

"…Like a sleepover?"

"...If you like."

Zoe instantly regretted her words as Robyn rushed over to hug her. "This is going to be great fun! I'll bring the movies."

Sighing, Zoe watched Robyn run off with a grin before looking at Rita. "I don't suppose you want to come and keep me sane?"

"If I can wear my onesie."

"Not you too?!"

…

"Max! Max, Max, max…" Zoe caught her husbands arm as he tried to walk outside, having seen the shopping list in her hand.

"What?" Max asked reluctantly.

"I've asked Robyn over tonight to cheer her up. Can you pick up a few things from the shop on your break?"

"You know I'm allergic to shopping, Zoe."

"If you go, I'll wear my heels to bed and nothing else?"

Max gave a tut, a grin growing on his face. "Fine."

…

That evening, Zoe sat surrounded by women wearing onesies while she was still in her work dress and heels, feeling out of place in her own home and bored by the movie on the TV. Pulling out her phone, she smiled when she saw an unread email waiting.

 ** _Subject:_** _ways you've shown that you love me- #2_

 _I'm going to assume from the noise I can hear that Robyn is enjoying herself and that you are probably not. So, the second way you've shown me that you love me is taking an interest in my sister. She looks up to you and thinking of you as a friend has really cheered her up. She came into my office today all excited and wanting to know what sort of movies you like (I told her Bring It On. You're welcome) and whether she should get you a present (I personally thought the cheerleader outfit was genius)._

 _#2- Making an effort with people who are important to me._

 _Max_

 _-you were wrong. Just hit 24 hours, I lasted a whole day. Come to bed._

Zoe was smiling down at her phone when Rita's voice suddenly broke into her thoughts. "Sorry?"

"I said is that Connie again?"

"Ah…yeah. Sorry, I'd better just reply or she'll call."

 ** _Subject:_** _RE: ways you've shown that you love me._

 _I appreciate you not emailing my work address, but did you really have to set this one up? What's the password?_

 _Zoe_

 _-I'm not wearing that cheerleader outfit for you._

Upstairs, Max grinned and rested his head back against the wall.

 ** _Subject:_** _We'll see._

 _Username: MaxWalkerIsAmazing_

 _Password:horny_

 _Max_

 _-horny_

Zoe nibbled her lip and glanced up at the two women sprawled out on the couch watching the movie intently.

"…I'm going to need to call her. I won't be long."

Standing, she made sure neither were looking before she picked up the cheerleader outfit and walked quickly towards the bedroom.


	4. 3

The next morning, Zoe was on her way to a meeting when Max fell into step beside her. "Have I mentioned before that I'm really attractive?"

Smiling, Zoe slid the paper she'd been scribbling on back into her file. "Once or twice. What do you want?"

"Want? Oh, nothing. I just thought I should remind you."

"Uh-huh."

"Well, actually-"

"I knew it." Zoe stopped out side the meeting room door and looked up at Max.

"I don't suppose you could do me a favour?"

…

"Robyn, I've been thinking."

Robyn looked up from her work as Zoe approached. "If it's about me breaking that wine glass last night, I really am sorry. I'll replace it."

Zoe hesitated, having been unaware that she'd even broken one. "Ah, no. I just noticed you have the weekend off, and I thought maybe you'd like to go shopping with me."

"…You and me, shopping?"

"Yeah, why not? Max says he's allergic, so I figure the next best person is his sister."

Smiling, Robyn nodded. "I'd love that!"

As Zoe walked away, she pulled out her mobile.

 _Zoe: This better be number 3 on your list. You owe me._

 _Max: We'll see. Come to my office in 10 minutes and I'll pay you back._

 _Zoe: firstly, it's a cupboard, and secondly, I am still recovering from last night._

As Zoe waited for a reply, a hand suddenly hit her on the bottom and Max whispered in her ear. "10 minutes, and I'll give you a massage."

"We both know where your massages lead, walker."

Grinning, max turned towards her as he walked away. "It's not my fault that I'm so good looking you cant keep away."

….

Zoe silently cursed herself 10 minutes later. She'd meant to keep away, yet here she was stood outside Max's 'office' on her break. She needed to start having more self-control, or Max's head would get even bigger.

Smiling to herself, she pushed open the door, but her smile was soon replaced with a frown. "What happened to you?!"

"Shut the door."

Zoe shut the door and then approached Max where he held a cloth to his nose as it bled.

Lifting her hands, Zoe tested the area around his nose, making Max flinch.

"Is it broken?"

"I don't think so, just bruised. What the hell happened?"

"I came across Robyn's blind date, telling his mate how he did turn up, but when he saw her he changed his mind and sat at another table laughing at her the whole time."

Zoe sighed, taking the cloth from Max and replacing it with another one. "And when you confronted him, he hit you, unprovoked?" She asked hopefully.

"Sort of."

"Max…"

…

"Zoe where have you been? You've got blood on your favourite dress!" Tess noticed.

"I know. Sorry, I had something I needed to sort out."

"Right, well we've got a patient in cubicle 2 who needs sorting out now. Cracked ribs and a black eye."

Taking a deep breath, Zoe entered, but if the man in front of her knew who she was he gave no sign of it. "What happened?"

"A fight about a girl." He smirked, his eyes travelling up and Zoe's body.

"I take it you didn't win?"

"Women are more my style anyway. OW!" He flinched and moved back as Zoe checked his ribs.

…

Robyn waited outside for Max that evening, eager to tell him what Zoe had asked her. When she finally saw him, her eyes grew wide. "What happened to you?!"

"Decided I needed a nose job, couldn't go around with my old nose all the time or people would get too envious of my beauty."

"Have you been fighting someone?"

"Might have been."

"Was it over Zoe? I wish someone would fight for me." Robyn sighed, shutting her eyes as she imagined it.

Slinging his arm around Robyn's shoulders, Max led her towards the pub. "Show me who you want me to fight and I'll challenge them to a dawn duel."

Smiling, Robyn elbowed Max. "It's not the same, you're my brother. I want a tall, dark and handsome stranger to do it."

"You've been watching romantic movies again, haven't you?"

…

Zoe glanced towards the clock. An hour to go. If she kept her head down, she might be able to finish this paperwork in time, which would leave her weekend free from paperwork. But full of shopping with Robyn. Groaning, Zoe was resting her head on the desk when her phone beeped.

 ** _Subject:_** _ways you've shown that you love me #3_

 _So many things to choose from today- I could pick you helping Robyn out, I could pick you playing doctor and fixing my nose (I'm still VERY handsome, don't worry)… but the thing I'm going to pick today is this piece of paper that you dropped on the way out of your meeting._

 _Max_

 _\- has large glass of wine waiting for you at the pub._

Max had attached a photo of the piece of paper. The piece of paper on which she'd spent half the meeting practicing signing her name as Zoe Walker. Smiling, Zoe glanced at the clock again before picking up her coat and heading towards the door.


	5. 4

"I don't believe you. Show me a photo." The new porter stared at Max. He'd seen Dr Hanna and he didn't believe for one minute they would be friends, let alone anything else.

"I haven't got my phone." Max pushed a bed back into a cubicle and locked the wheels.

"Good excuse. Go over to her and give her a kiss, then."

Max glanced towards Zoe. She'd been called into work early that morning, and he could already tell by the size of her coffee that she probably wasn't in a best mood. "No, she's working."

"Chicken."

Max glanced at his new colleague, then back at Zoe. With a sigh, he approached her. "Zoe-"

Before he could even finish what he wanted to say, Zoe held up a hand to stop him and walked past him to go back to work. When Max looked towards Tom, he found him grinning.

…

"Zoe!"

An hour later, Zoe looked up to find a man she didn't recognise stood over her wearing a porter's uniform.

"It's Dr Hanna."

"Right. Sorry. I just thought you could do with this."

When he held out a coffee, Zoe's heart melted a little. Max must have sent him, probably to avoid her being rude to him again. "Thanks."

When she took the offered drink, Tom smiled to himself. Definitely single.

…

'Robyn, have you got a photo of me and Zoe on your phone?" Max asked as he stopped by her side.

"No, why would I?" Robyn frowned.

Max sighed as he rested on the desk. "New guy doesn't believe we're together."

"Why don't you just get Zoe to tell him?"

As Robyn asked, Zoe passed them by and gave an exasperated sigh. "Do you two ever do any work?!"

"Does that answer your question?" Max asked.

"…What does it matter, anyway? You don't need to prove anything to him."

"But he keeps talking about her like she's a…piece of meat or something. He even just said to me look at the arse on that."

"Max, I couldn't count the number of times I've heard you say that on two hands."

"But she's my wife!"

"Is she? Funny, I don't remember a wedding…"

Max sighed as Robyn walked off with a grin.

…

'Zoe, have you got a minute?" Tess asked the doctor hesitantly, for she'd been in a snapping mood all day.

"I wish. I'm up to my eyeballs."

As Tess sighed, Zoe raised her head. "What is it?"

"Well, I just…it's about Max."

"Whatever he's done, it's not my problem."

"He hasn't _done_ anything as such. He's just seems very down and I was wondering if everything is ok?"

Zoe took another new patient's file from Louise. "I'll talk to him when I get a chance."

…

Zoe glanced at her watch and then knocked on the door of Max's office. When she got no reply, the doctor pulled the door open and found Max with eyes shut and headphones on sitting at his desk.

Smiling to herself, Zoe reached behind her back and locked the door before taking a couple of steps towards Max.

The porter woke with a jolt a moment later when his chair moved. His eyes opening, he found Zoe leaning against the desk in front of him with a smile. Matching her smile, Max raised his eyebrows. "What?"

Reaching forward, Zoe slipped off his headphones. "Someone just told me you're trying to spread rumours that we're dating."

"And what did you say?"

"I said we're definitely not dating."

As Max groaned and rested his head back, Zoe reached forward and began undoing his belt buckle. "I told him that we're friends with benefits."

Max smiled, moving his hands to rest on Zoe's thighs. "Is that so?"

"Mm-hmm. I was going to say married, but I thought it might make you seem a little cooler if he just thinks you've bagged a lead consultant for sex."

"Do I need help seeming cooler, then?"

"Well-" Zoe began, laughing as Max stood to kiss her.

…

After work, Zoe nursed a large glass of wine. She'd had a long, tiring day, with only a brief respite from seriousness during her visit to Max's office.

She was marvelling at the fact that Max always seemed to know these days just when she needed seriousness and just when she needed jokes. After the last couple of weeks when they were short staffed and outside it was always pouring with rain, Zoe really appreciated the grin she seemed to find waiting for her whenever she looked up- even if she did often respond to it quite rudely.

With a sigh, she took another sip of her drink. She needed to try harder to not take her annoyance out on him. Just because he seemed to let it slide off his back without caring didn't mean it was ok to keep doing it.

"Zoe, can I get you a drink?"

She turned her head to find the new porter stood beside her with a smile. "It's Dr Hanna."

"Right, sorry. Dr Hanna, can I buy you a drink?"

"Come on, seriously?!" Max asked as he stood on Zoe's other side. "Enough is enough, mate. It's not funny any more."

"Alright, don't get your kinckers in a twist." Tom offered, making Zoe smirk at the memories that phrase brought up.

…

Two hours later Zoe was neck deep in a warm bubble bath when her phone vibrated. Worried it was work calling her in again; she pushed herself up and squinted at the phone screen through the steam. An email.

 ** _Subject:_** _Am absolutely not drunk_

 _It has been brought to my attention as I sit here in the pub, abandoned by my wife and drowning my sorrows, that you are an amazing, beautiful person and I love you so much that sometimes it physically hurts. Marrying you is something I am so proud of, and even if being married makes me seem uncool, I don't care. Because I am married to Zoe Hanna, and that is the best feeling in the world._

 _Max_

"Definitely drunk." Zoe said aloud, smiling to herself.

 ** _Subject:_** _RE: Am absolutely not drunk._

 _You know what my proudest achievement is? Finding a man like you. The sort of man who will absolutely not wake me up when he stumbles in drunk at 2am._

 _Zoe_

 _-Max's wife._

"TOLD YOU!" Max handed his phone to Tom with a triumphant smile.

…

"Zoe. Zoe, wake up."

Zoe squinted into the darkness several hours later to find Max hovering over her, swaying slightly. "I'm asleep."

"But I forgot to tell you number 4." Max flopped onto the bed beside her and she caught a waft of alcohol.

"Tell me tomorrow when you've sobered up."

"I can't wait. I need to tell you now."

Sighing, Zoe reached up and turned the light on. Sitting up, she began unlacing Max's shoes as he yawned and closed his eyes. "Go on, then."

"The way you showed me you love me today was…"

Dropping his shoes to the floor, Zoe moved up to work on his belt. "Was?"

"I can't remember." Max mumbled.

Pulling his trousers off, Zoe untucked the duvet and covered him with it before moving to lie down again. "Then go to sleep."

The light had been off for several minutes when Max spoke again. "Zoe?"

"Mmm?"

"I told Tess at the pub that the proudest achievement in my life was marrying you, and you know what she said? She said not to tell you, because it would freak you out. So maybe number 4 is you letting me in. Letting me get to know you better than anyone else. Dropping your walls enough for me to see the real you. I love the normal you, but the real you, deep inside, is my favourite person in the world."

Smiling, Zoe leant over to kiss Max's cheek. "Stop being soppy and go to sleep."

"Does it freak you out?"

"…Maybe it used to, but now my day feels incomplete when you haven't said something embarrassingly romantic."

Max smiled. "Good."

"…Max?"

"Mmm?"

"Marrying you was the proudest moment in my life, too."


	6. 5

"Guess what?" Max appeared in the kitchen doorway the next morning with a grin.

"Aren't you the same guy who showed up drunk at 3am last night? How are you smiling at 8am?" Zoe looked up from her coffee with a frown.

"I'm in love."

Zoe rolled her eyes at this, but still smiled when Max wrapped his arms around her and kissed her gently before turning to make his own coffee.

"What?"

"Hmm?" Max asked, frowning at the almost empty coffee jar, sure he'd only brought it the day before.

"You said guess what." Zoe supplied, smiling to herself as she noticed the red marks cause by her fingernails still evident on his back from their cupboard dalliance.

"Oh, got a text from Robyn, she'll be here in an hour."

Zoe groaned and lowered her forehead to the table. "Do I have to do this?"

Resting against the table next to her, Max grinned. "Well, personally I just want you to go so you'll send me changing room selfies. The idea of seeing your body from every angle at once is-"

The doorbell ringing cut him off, making Zoe raise her head with a frown. "How long ago did you get that text from Robyn?"

"…About an hour." Max offered.

Rolling her eyes, Zoe stood up, throwing a t-shirt from the clean washing pile at him as she walked towards the front door.

"Morning!" Robyn grinned when Zoe opened the door.

"I take it you're the one responsible for getting Max so drunk I found vomit by the front door this morning?"

Robyn's face fell. "Ah yeah, about that…he won-"

A few steps behind Zoe, Max shook his head furiously, making Robyn hesitate. "Actually, do you mind if I go to the bathroom before we leave?"

Zoe stepped aside to let Robyn in, and then turned to raise her eyebrows at Max. "What did you win?"

"Your heart. The love of my life. Joy and happiness. The list is so long."

Rolling her eyes once more, Zoe swatted Max's chest. "Don't forget you said you'll come with me to visit my parents if I go out with Robyn."

Max groaned and flopped into the chair Zoe had just vacated. "Don't remind me."

Zoe had discovered after the wedding that her father and Max actually had a lot in common. Once he'd got over the shock of his daughter being married, her father invited Max to play golf, and while Zoe was unsure exactly what Max had said to him, she found they became friends. At least once a month now Max would disappear for the day to do something with her father, though neither would tell her where they went. Her mother, on the other hand, still refused to acknowledge Max's existence, even when he was in the room. She also made a point of binging in photos or even resumes of men she thought were more suitable.

"We both know what will happen if I visit with you. Your dad will pretend not to like me because he's scared of your mother, and your mother will ignore me completely while bringing you photo's of your second cousin Gerald who is a dentist and might be gay but dresses really well."

Zoe smiled and dropped a kiss to Max's cheek. "Well, I guess you coming and putting up with it all is how you can show that you love me."

"Touché."

"Mm, still not working that."

"One day. Don't forget to send me changing room photos."

"Don't!" Zoe began, but Max slapped her bum anyway before taking his coffee back towards the bedroom.

"Max!" Zoe called after him as Robyn picked up her bag.

After a moment he reappeared in the doorway.

"I love you."

Grinning at his wife's words, Max took a couple of steps towards her, expecting a kiss, but instead she took the coffee from his hands and downed most of it in one gulp.

As max gave an exasperated sigh, Zoe leant forward and whispered in his ear, "I'll send you a selfie if you send me one."

…

Zoe found that once she stopped thinking about Robyn as a nurse, they actually got on very well. Particularly because she discovered that Robyn loved shoe shopping. What she'd thought would be a couple of hours shopping was fast turning into a whole day, and they were now sat having a late lunch.

"When you said earlier that Max won something-" Zoe began.

"I promised him I wouldn't tell you…but you'll find out on Monday at work anyway, so I don't see why. He won a trip to Italy."

"Italy?! How?"

"There was some karaoke thing last night. He's been practicing his song for weeks, I think he wanted to surprise you with a holiday."

Before Zoe could reply her phone rang showing her mother's name. "Oh god."

"Ignore it."

"I have been for the last 2 weeks. Sorry." Zoe offered an apologetic smile before answering her phone. "Mum!"

"Zoe, it's about Max."

"Look, whatever he's done or whatever you think he's done, I'm sorry, but-"

"What are you sorry for? I was so pleased I actually hugged him!"

"You…pardon?"

"I don't know how he knew, but…Zoe, I am so excited I can barely sit still."

"…What, exactly, did he do?"

"He's booked me and your father a trip to Italy! It's 10 days, all expenses paid, and he's even offered to drive us to and from the airport."

…

 ** _Subject:_** _Ways you've shown me that you love me #5_

 _My mother just called to tell me she loves you. She literally said she loves you. In front of half my family, it sounded like. Robyn told me about the advert you saw on the way to work a few weeks ago and that you've been practicing ever since. I don't think anyone has ever done something that makes me so happy before. I love when you tell me you love me, i love you jokes and I even love that little frown you get when you're concentrating, but this...this showed me that you are perfect._

 _I love you, Max. I love you, I love you, I love you. I LOVE MAX WALKER._

 _Zoe Walker_

 _-Mum has invited us to dinner (and we're going), but if you hurry you might catch me in a changing room. I know how you like sex in small places._

Max grabbed his phone as soon as it beeped. He was with Lofty watching the football, but he'd waited all day for a photo from Zoe. What he received was even better. The photo of her in a lingerie shop changing room that she attached was pretty good, too.

"Where are you going, mate?" Lofty frowned as Max leapt from the couch.

"I've just got the sudden urge to go shopping."


	7. 6

"Max, I am-" Zoe pushed open the door to his office and froze when she saw someone in a porter's uniform making out with a nurse. When they both looked up and Zoe realised she didn't know either of them, she gave an apologetic smile and shut the door with a bang, embarrassed.

 _Zoe: Where are you? I need to complain about something._

Max was sat in the small garden attached to the hospital thinking. When his phone indicated he had a message, he glanced down at it with a smile.

 _Max: I'm in the garden._

 _Zoe: There's a garden?_

 _Max: Yes, Zoe. There's always been a garden. Go out the back and turn left. I'll send you up a smoke signal._

When Zoe finally found Max fifteen minutes later, she sat next to him with a sigh. "I went looking for you in your office."

"Apparently married men don't have sex in cupboards, so it's been taken over by the young'uns."

Taking Max's cigarette from him, Zoe smiled. "They obviously don't know us very well, then. We've probably had sex in more cupboards than beds."

"Enough about sex or I'll have to ravage you right here. What did you want to complain about?"

Zoe gave another sigh and rested her head on Max's shoulder. After a short pause, she admitted, "I don't remember. I was so worked up, but finding this bloody place distracted me. How did you find it, anyway?"

"Big Mac showed me. I bring my girlfriends here because the wife doesn't know about it."

"Well she won't hear about it from me."

Max smiled and dropped a kiss to Zoe's head before taking the cigarette back from her.

It had been a week since Zoe had gone out with Robyn, and something huge had changed in their relationship. Though Max couldn't pinpoint exactly what had happened, he thought maybe it was something to do with him making an effort with her family. Suddenly Zoe was opening up to him about things she used to refuse to talk about as though she was no longer worried about being hurt.

"Date night tonight. What do you want to do?" He asked casually.

"Sleep?"

"Mmm. Good choice." Max handed the cigarette back to Zoe before pushing himself up.

"Where are you going?"

"Back to work. I do actually have things to do aside from talking to you, you know."

"No you don't."

"…You're right, but I need a wee. I'll see you later, and if you remember what you want to complain about send me a message."

Zoe smiled as she watched Max walk away before resting her head back, enjoying the sunshine.

She was just about to go back inside a few minutes later when an idea struck her. She knew exactly what to do for date night.

…

Ten minutes before the end of her shift, Zoe sent Max a message.

 _Zoe: meet me in the on call room in twenty minutes_

Max frowned down at his phone. _Why? Zoe, you promised not to work late on date night!_

 _Zoe: I didn't say I was working. You need to come because I'm the boss and what I say goes._

 _Max: we'll see._

Zoe smiled at Max's reply as she slid into the on call room and began setting up.

…

Exactly twenty minutes later, Max knocked on the door and a moment later Zoe pulled open the door just far enough for him to fit inside.

Grinning from ear to eat, Max looked around the room. She'd set it up just like his old office, complete with a pair of her heels discarded on the floor and her underwear hanging off the arm of the chair. "Wow."

"If we can't go to the cupboard, the cupboard can come to us." Zoe smiled. "And I noticed you haven't sent me an email in a week, so I thought I'd better do something."

Max smiled, stepping forward to pull Zoe into his arms. "Oh, this is definitely number 6, Mrs Walker."

"Will I get an email to confirm that?"

"…We'll see."

Zoe let out a loud laugh as Max cleared the desk in one sweeping motion.


	8. 7

"I don't want to! I want to stay here with you." 3 days later on a Saturday night, Max grumbled as Zoe picked out a shirt for him.

"Tough. Robyn said they're your oldest friends and they want to see you." Zoe slid a shirt off a coat hanger and threw it at Max.

"I knew it was a bad idea letting you two be friends."

"Letting? You _let_ us be friends? Oh, how kind of you." Zoe spoke sarcastically as she rummaged under the bed for Max's shoes.

Grinning, Max pulled on the shirt. "You really want me to go out with a group of guys who never stay faithful to their girlfriend, will probably never get married and have livers the size of my head?"

Zoe pulled out the shoes triumphantly and then stood. "Yes, because I've invited people over and I promised there would be no men here."

"Which people?" Max asked, pulling Zoe towards him before she wriggled from his grasp.

"None of your business. Will a tie be too much?"

"Definitely. What if I meet a blonde stunner and we fall in love and run away together?"

Zoe smiled and rested a hand to Max's chest as she kissed him. "I think we both know by now that you are hopelessly in love with me, Max Walker. Do your shirt up, you need to be out of here in 5 minutes."

"Can I show them my photos of you?" When Zoe turned around with raised eyebrows, Max grinned, backing away from her. "I was joking!"

"Phone, now." Zoe began a slow walk towards him.

"I was joking! I wouldn't do that." Max laughed softly as Zoe began to check his pockets before realisation finally dawned on her face.

"You left your phone at work yesterday."

"I did."

"'You just said that to make me put my hand in your pockets, didn't you?"

"I did."

….

Two hours later Max sat glumly in a booth at a nightclub he hadn't been to in years. As he'd suspected, he no longer had anything in common with his old friends, and had spent most of the night being teased about how faithful he was. He promised Zoe he wouldn't be home earlier than midnight, so he was keeping a close eye on the clock, willing it to move faster.

"You know what you need, mate? A proper bird. Not a skinny blonde, but one with real curves. That will make you forget the missus. What about her there?"

Max rolled his eyes. "I don't want to forget –" He stopped when his eyes fell on the woman his friends pointed out. The woman who was walking towards them with a smile. "Would one of you lovely gentlemen like to buy me a drink?"

"He will!" They spoke in chorus, pushing Max forward.

"Ah, would you like a drink?" Max asked nervously.

"Champagne, please."

Max nodded, moving with lightening speed from his seat to the bar. As he waited, he went to pull out his phone so he could send Zoe a message, but soon remembered he'd left it at work. Glancing back at the woman who was now sat with his friends, Max let out a nervous sigh.

"So, what is his name?" The woman leant on the booth table and looked to the man who had been doing most of the talking.

"Max. He's a doctor." The guy supplied, grinning at his mates.

"Is he now? Well, it must be my lucky night."

…

Half an hour later, Max found himself trapped on an armchair in the corner of the club, his friend elbowing each other and grinning as the blonde woman caressed the back of his head. "Relax."

"That's easier said than done." Max gulped down his drink.

"I bet I can think of a way to help you relax."

Max's friends cheered as the woman pressed her lips to Max's. When his lips didn't part, her tongue darted out to tease them, and as soon as he opened them, she deepened the kiss.

Max sat rooted to the chair, and was breathless by the time the woman moved back.

Pushing the blonde hair from her face, she gave a smile. "I'm just going to the ladies to freshen up. Don't go anywhere."

…

"Maxy! We told you that you wouldn't regret coming out with us! Look at the backside on that! You are definitely in there, mate. And don't worry, the wife will never find out. Now go after her and give her a good seeing to."

Rolling his eyes, Max nevertheless let himself get propelled towards the bathrooms. Standing outside the women's toilets and half blocking the corridor, he got several glares before the blonde finally exited. "Miss me?" She asked lightly.

"What are you doing?"

"I thought I'd give you a proper send off from your friends. Because you are never, ever seeing them again. I can't believe you were even friends with them in the first place."

"I was young and easily influenced. Where did you get that wig? And how did you know where I was?"

"It's a secret." As they walked onto the dance floor, Zoe grabbed Max's hands and placed them on her bum, smirking when they heard his friends cheer again. "Now kiss me and stop looking so nervous."

"I'm so turned on right now." Was all Max managed to get out before Zoe kissed him again.

"Is this number 7?" She asked with a laugh at the look on Max's face.

"Oh, this is definitely number 7. And I really, really hope number 8 will happen when we get home."

"Not sure you'll last that long, sunshine."

"You're probably right." Max finally grinned before kissing his wife once more.

* * *

 **A/N- I can change the rating to M and write number 8, or you can imagine it for yourselves. Let me know!**


	9. 8

An hour later the couple were once again sat at a booth. Max's friends seemed to have disappeared, not that Zoe was sure she would have noticed them even if they'd been in the next seat. Her decision to have only 1 or 2 drinks that flown quickly out the window, and the table in front of them were covered in various types of glasses.

"Max, I love this song!" Zoe stood from his lap and grabbed his hand, pulling him back towards the dance floor.

Max groaned, but he was actually quite sure this was the best night of his life.

When they reached the dance floor, Zoe wrapped her arms around Max and began moving against him.

During their first few dances, Max had been aware of other men's eyes on Zoe and at first he'd felt jealous, then he'd felt proud, but now he was unable to focus on anything but the woman in front of him. She was swaying against him to the music, her eyes closed and her natural hair brushing gently against him, her wig long since abandoned.

"Remember when this song came on the radio while I was on holiday and I called you whilst in that huge bath?" Zoe suddenly asked in his ear, her warm breath sending a jolt of pleasure down Max's spine.

"I don't remember it."

"Mmm, well that is probably because you were more focused on me and what I was doing to myself."

"Perhaps you should remind me?" Max whispered back in her ear, making Zoe smile into his neck.

"But we don't have a bath big enough." Zoe's hand moved up the back of Max's neck before she began to play with his hair, smiling to herself when his eyes shut momentarily at the sensation. "I love you." The words came from her mouth without a thought, and when Max's eyes opened again, she smiled up at him. "You make me feel so happy."

Max smiled back, his arms tightening around Zoe so she was pressed even closer to him. "There's a hotel around the corner, I bet they have big baths."

"What are we waiting for, then?" Zoe asked, giving a delighted laugh when Max grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the door.

...

The man on reception looked between the two people in front of him suspiciously. They looked like a mismatched couple, and with the way the woman was swaying, he didn't like t he chances of the carpet staying clean all night.

"We do have a charge that will be taken from your account for any accidental breakages or any cleaning bills, which will be refunded after your stay provided the room is as you found it."

"That's fine." Max gave the man a distracted smile as Zoe dropped a kiss to his earlobe and then nibbled on it.

The receptionist looked between them again before finally offering, "We only have the honeymoon suite available." He knew he'd get a bonus if he found someone to rent the room that was usually empty, and he thought the man in front of him might be distracted enough not to notice the price.

"Sure, that's fine." Max pushed the card across to the receptionist, grinning as Zoe pushed herself between him and the desk. "Hi."

Zoe reached up, wrapping her arms loosely around Max's neck so she could play with his hair again as she smiled back. "Hi."

"Here you are sir, and here's the key. Just take the elevator to the top floor. Breakfast is included and-"

The receptionist was cut off by Max mumbling his thanks before guiding Zoe towards the lift.

…

"Max!" Zoe gave a squeal as she was swept off her feet and into his arms as she tried to unlock the door. "What are you doing?"

"This is the honeymoon suite, it's what you're supposed to do."

"it's not what you did on our actual honeymoon."

"Mm, that's true, but only because you undid my belt in the elevator and I could barely hold myself up, let alone you, with my pants around my knees."

"I'd forgotten that." Zoe gave a grin as Max put her down. Grabbing his shirt, she pulled him towards the bathroom. "You run the bath and I will get the champagne."

"Don't you think we've had enough to drink?"

"I didn't say we were going to drink it, Mr Walker."

…

Half an hour and thousands of giggles later, they lay opposite each other in the bath, the radio playing muted and the only light in the room that of flickering candles.

Zoe's head was tilted slightly back and her eyes were closed, but one foot was planted firmly on Max's chest to stop him moving.

He watched in silent awe as Zoe's hand travelled over her body, her mouth issuing the slightest sigh when the hand finally reached its destination.

The sigh soon turned into soft moans, and she could feel Max shifting his weight, trying to keep still though he ached to join her. The first time she'd done this was when she was on holiday with friends and had been drinking and missing Max all day. Thought it was 3am in England, she had video called him from the bath and without a word had given him a show he still talked about every time she had a bath. But now, she reminded herself, the man was right here, so she didn't need to imagine or pretend. Her eyes flickering open and they looked straight into Max's. "Max."

The water splashed as he moved towards Zoe and captured her lips, his hand soon replacing hers, making her body jolt and splash even more water onto the bathroom floor.

"Ready for number 8?" Max asked against Zoe's whimpering lips.

* * *

Zoe groaned when the light hit her face. Max must have forgotten to shut the curtains again. She reached out to his side of the bed but her eyes flew open when she only felt air. She wasn't at home and her head was throbbing.

Slowly, her eyes roamed the room around her, taking in her own wrinkled clothes, a blonde wig, Max's crumpled jeans, and finally the man himself, standing at the end of the bed stark naked except for a grin. "Morning!"

Zoe just gave another groan and shut her eyes. "I think I'm dying."

"You're dying? You should see the bruises I've got. "

"Why are you grinning, then?"

"Because I had a one night stand with a blonde stunner, just like I told you I would, and as a bonus she can't leave without a goodbye, because I already have her phone number."

"Are you sure she gave you the real one?"

"Mm, good question. Do you think I should ask her?"

"I think you should stop talking and come back to bed."

"If you insist." A moment later, Zoe shivered as the covers were momentarily lifted from her before a warm body pressed into her side. "Did you give me your real phone number?"

"Nope." Zoe smiled, rolling over to rest on top of Max to trap him on the bed. "Did we get the honeymoon suite, or did I imagine that?"

"We did, and we had to pay extra because you looked like the sort of person who would wreck the place. You know, it's quite nice to be viewed as the responsible one for a change."

"We both know you're always the responsible one, Mr Walker. Are we going to spend all day talking, or are we going to make use of the honeymoon extras?"

Max grinned, but as he moved up to kiss Zoe, she leapt from the bed instead, pulling the duvet with her to wrap around her body. "Champagne, chocolate and croissants for breakfast! I could get used to this."

When Max gave no reply, Zoe glanced back at him to find him grinning at her. "What?"

"You make me happy, too."


	10. 9

"I don't see why I had to come." Zoe grumbled. It was now Tuesday morning, very early on Tuesday morning, and they were driving to her parent's house. Zoe had reluctantly agreed to come with Max to take her parents to the airport, but then her mother had decided that they should come a day early so there could be a family catch up before they went to Italy.

"Because they're your family." Max provided, glancing at Zoe and grinning at how cold and grumpy she looked.

Sighing, Zoe wrapped the scarf around her neck again and pulled the blanket that rested on her knees right up over herself. "Well we need to stop for coffee and earplugs before we get there."

"Why earplugs?"

"Because I will need to block out all the questions I'm going to be asked about when we're having kids and how many we want."

Max glanced at Zoe again, then reached over and pulled the blanket from over her face. "They don't know?"

Zoe shook her head, keeping her eyes tightly shut. "It didn't seem to be an issue until I married you, and now it's the only thing they'll talk about."

"Well, tell them I've got terrible sperm. Oh! No, tell them I used to be a woman! Or, we-"

Smiling, Zoe shook her head. "Max, shut up. I'll tell them the truth, when I'm ready." She was amazed at how he managed to get her to talk about her worries and issues so openly. Her fertility was something they'd talked about so much now that she could do it without tears, because the only other person it really affected was okay with it, even if Zoe herself wasn't always. "oh, no, I'll tell them we're going to adopt a baby from Pakistan. Oh my god, my mother's face is going to be priceless."

"Or tell them we adopted a 16 year old skin head from an estate in London. I think that might be the death of her."

Zoe grinned, hitting Max. "Hey, I can joke about it but you're not allowed to!"

…

"Too early for you, Zoe. You haven't put your make up on, yet. " The first words from Zoe's mother's mouth.

Zoe glanced towards Max and rolled her eyes before accepting her mother's hug. "It's lovely to see you too, mum."

"Come inside, your aunties are here and we've made some food."

"Max will need help with-" Zoe began, but her mother pulled Zoe inside.

"Nonsense. Your father will help him. Come and say hello to everyone."

…

Three hours later and Zoe was miserable. She'd left the room three times already to cry, not that anyone seemed to have noticed, for they still bombarded her with questions about when she was having children. Every time someone new came, which seemed to happen at least every half an hour, the questions would start again.

Feeling that she was on the verge of screaming at them all, Zoe mumbled an excuse and rushed from the room once more, shutting herself in the bathroom. When the doorknob turned a moment later, she tried to push the door shut, but Max was stronger and managed to get the door open, slipping inside before he shut it again.

"Zoe…"

"I can't do this. I can't. You know what they were talking about? How a cousin of mine hasn't had children, and how much less of a woman that makes her, and how she's let her husband down. They think-"

"It doesn't matter what they think, Zoe."

"But it does, Max, because-" Zoe began again, her arms flailing.

Max put his hands on Zoe's shoulders and then ran them down her arms until he held both her hands. "It doesn't matter, Zoe. It's something that's between you and me. They can say all they want, they can be mean or they can be supportive, but it doesn't matter. It's you and me in this relationship, and it's only our opinion that matters. You know what my opinion is? I love you. I love you so much that sometimes it hurts, and I want to protect you from everything that upsets you, including this. Just you makes me feel complete, I don't need anything else, I don't need a child. What I have with you is perfect."

Zoe let out a slow breath as Max talked. When he spoke, she believed him, but when others started to get into her head she always began to doubt everything. "But don't you think a child would make it better?"

"Maybe. Maybe not. Shut your eyes."

"Why?"

"Just do it."

Zoe frowned, but shut her eyes.

"Now remember Sunday morning. The sun was shining, and you were on the balcony looking down at all the people walking past. You remember what happened then?"

"You walked up behind me and wrapped your arms around my middle."

"And then what did I say?"

Zoe smiled at the memory, a feeling of warmth beginning to spread over her. "you said that it was the happiest moment of your life, and I said you say that all the time."

Max nodded, stepping forward to kiss Zoe gently, and when her eyes flickered open to look into his, he spoke quietly. "And I said that's because every day I spend with you is something special, and every day with you reminds me how lucky I am."

Zoe smiled up at Max and gazed into his eyes for a few moments before she nodded. "Ok. I can face them. A group of chattering woman is simple compared with what I do every day."

"Saving lives?"

"Well, I was talking about putting up with your attempts at being romantic, but I guess that too."

Max grinned and hit Zoe on the bottom, glancing up when she turned to face him from the doorway. "Max?"

"Mmm?"

"Was that number 9?"

"Yeah, I think it might have been."

"We should take notes of all these, you know. We wouldn't want to forget how amazing we are."

"Like that's ever going to be a problem."

Zoe grinned and returned to Max to kiss him. "I love you, Mr Walker."


	11. 10

Max glanced in the rear view mirror at Zoe. She had her eyes shut, but he could see the mark of a frown on her forehead. They'd left her parents half an hour earlier to drop them at the airport, and she was yet to have any coffee. When they reached a red light, Max pulled out his phone and typed a quick message, then watched as Zoe's frown deepened and she reached into her pocket to pull out her phone.

 _Right side of the seat pocket._

Zoe glanced up at Max in the mirror and then reached into the pocket in front of herself, smiling when her hand found the familiar shape of her favourite chocolate.

 _I love you_ Zoe mouthed before resting back in her seat to unwrap the chocolate.

"Zoe! You know you need to be in proper health to get preg-" Zoe's mother began, but Max cut her off as he pointed out a billboard.

"Look at that! What a disgrace. Why do they think it's appropriate to plaster half naked women all over the freeway?"

"That's what I keep saying!"

As his mother-in-law began her favourite rant, Max glanced at Zoe in the mirror again and wriggled his eyebrows.

Zoe smiled at him and bit into her chocolate once more.

* * *

A week later and Zoe was even grumpier. She'd worked a double shift followed by a 4 hour sleep in the on call room, plus she'd forgotten her make up and was feeling decidedly frumpy. Matters were not helped by the introduction of a new registrar, ten years younger than Zoe with a similar penchant for tight dresses and heels.

Everyone was currently stood in the staffroom as Isabelle introduced herself, and Zoe's eyes were flicking between the males in the room with annoyance. Their eyes were either on the woman's legs or chest, and she was sure none of them could have repeated Isabelle's name let alone the big list of previous achievements she seemed to be going through.

Folding her arms, Zoe tried to focus on Isabelle but her thoughts soon drifted away again, this time for a better reason. Max had entered the room silently behind her, his breath tickling her ear as he whispered, "My office, a.s.a.p."

"I'm busy." Zoe whispered back.

"We'll see."

….

Three minutes later, Zoe hesitated outside Max's cupboard before she opened the door. "I'm still busy."

"Yet you found the time to visit me. Shut the door."

Zoe did as he asked and rested back against the door with folded arms. "What is it? Because I've hardly had any sleep, and I-"

Max's lips descending on hers, his hands resting firmly on her bum to pull her closer, cut off Zoe's words. She was silently pleased that at least one man's eyes were still firmly focused on her.

…

"What do you think of the new girl?" Zoe asked as Max zipped up her dress and she fixed her hair.

"What new girl?" Max dropped a kiss to Zoe's neck and then reached out to get his own top.

"Blonde, endless legs, tight dress, heels, laughs at everyone's jokes."

"I can't say I've noticed her."

Zoe smiled to herself and turned around to kiss Max. "I'll see you later, and don't make any plans for after our shift."

"Why?" Max grinned.

"It's a secret." Zoe offered a coy smile before slipping from the room.

…

"Is that the one you asked me about?"

An hour later, Zoe glanced up at Max and then followed his eyes to Isabelle where she was talking to Rita.

"Mm-hmm."

"...Well, she does have blonde hair, long legs, a tight dress and heels, but she's not a patch on the blonde I met the other weekend. The things she could do with her tongue."

"Shh. Shh!"Zoe hissed, finally hitting Max's chest. "Shut up!"

Max smiled and leant forward to whisper in his wife's ear. "You have no reason to be jealous of her, Zo. When you're in a room no one else stands a chance."

Zoe glanced at Max as he walked away, a smile pulling at her lips.

...

"Can I take the blindfold off yet?" Max asked.

"No." Zoe led him from behind, her hands on his hips.

"If you're trying to turn me on, it's working."

Zoe smiled at Max's words and hit his bum gently. "Almost there. Ok, stop."

Max frowned when he heard other people's voices. "Are we at a swingers club?"

"Is that all you think about?!" Zoe asked as she pulled the blindfold off.

Max grew silent, a smile spreading over his face. "Is this you being romantic?"

"I was hoping this might make up for me not being home much this week."

"I think what happened earlier in my office more than made up for it, but this is the cherry on top of a very delicious cake. What made you decide?"

"What you did today."

When Max grinned, Zoe rolled her eyes. "Not that. Well, not just that. Something just... clicked for me. I don't need to be on my guard around you, I don't need any walls up, because no matter which Zoe I am, you still love me. You're not like anyone else I've ever met, Max. So, I'm ready to do this with you."

Max smiled down at his wife and pulled her close to kiss her.

"Not now! We don't want to be late!" Zoe grabbed Max's hand and pulled him towards the building.

As they walked into the large open room, Zoe whispered to Max, "Do you think this is number ten?"

"This is definitely number ten. Look!" He grabbed Zoe's hand and pulled her towards a pen of puppies inside the pet adoption festival.


	12. 11 and 12

Max was walking past Zoe's office a couple of days later when something caught his eye and he took a few steps back.

"When did that arrive?"

Lofty glanced up. "Last week, I think. Fancy a drink at the pub after work?"

"Yeah, sure." Max stood staring into the office for a few moments before clicking into gear again.

…

"Max has just shown me that photo and I don't think I will ever recover."

As Robyn spoke, Zoe's head flew up and her cheeks began to redden. "…He showed you?"

"Yep. He said he had something on his phone that he thought everyone should see."

As Robyn walked away, Zoe stared after her in shock.

…

Zoe pushed open the door to Max's cupboard with such force that it banged into the shelves and they rocked perilously.

"What the hell did you think you were doing?!"

Max looked up from his lunch with raised eyebrows. "I…pardon?"

"You have completely broken my trust. I cannot believe you thought that was an okay thing to do!"

"…Sorry, I'm lost. What are you talking about?"

"The photo, Max! You've shown practically everyone in the department! You've not only undermined my professionalism but you've embarrassed me in front of all my friends!" When Max gave a smile, Zoe's voice got even louder. "What the hell is funny about this, Max?!"

"Just to clarify…you think I've been showing people that photo of you in the shower?"

"I _know_ you have, so don't try and get out of it!"

"Ok, so, I'm going to ignore the fact you think I'd show a naked photo of my wife to all and sundry for the moment and ask you what did people say to make you think that?"

This wasn't the response Zoe had expected and she stood awkwardly. "…They said they said they never expected it of me, and that they'll never recover."

"Zo, I showed them a photo of the puppy."

Zoe could feel her face beginning to redden. "What?"

"I showed them the photo I took last night when you two were asleep on the couch. Fully clothed. Well, at least you were."

"Oh."

"Yeah, oh." Max smiled at his wife.

Zoe took a couple of steps backwards and then motioned over her shoulder. "I should get back to work."

Max nodded, his smile turning into a grin as he heard her heels rushing down the corridor.

* * *

 ** _Subject:_** _Earlier_

 _So, about earlier- I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions before talking to you and I owe you an apology._

 _Zoe._

 ** _..._**

 ** _Subject:_** _RE: Earlier_

 _You do know that wasn't an actual apology, right?_

 _Maxwell._

 _..._

 ** _Subject:_** _RE: RE: Earlier_

 _I know. I'm building up to it, although perhaps you'd make do with a bedroom apology instead?_

 _Zoe_

 ** _..._**

 ** _Subject:_** _Apology_

 _No, I want an actual verbal apology, thank you. By the way, did you notice the new girl has taken over our rooftop smoking spot? I went up there earlier and she had the cheek to ask me for a light AND a cigarette._

 _Max._

...

Zoe smiled down at her phone and stubbed out her cigarette before returning to work.

 ** _Subject:_** _RE: Apology_

 _The cheek of some people! I hope you didn't give in to her demands, because it's a slippery slope from there. One day you'd give her the cigarette and then a year later you'd end up living in a houseboat with her and a lady shave that's almost out of battery!_

 _Zoe._

She pressed send, and still with a smile on her face Zoe accepted a file from Noel and walked towards cubicles.

* * *

"Are we off to the pub?" Isabelle joined Max and Lofty as they exited the building at the end of their shift. The men exchanged glances.

"Sure." Lofty finally offered.

"I need a huge, huge glass of wine. I've been working with Dr Hanna all day, and she has been in the weirdest mood. Snappy all morning, then staring at her phone all afternoon."

Max and Lofty shared a smirk before Max pushed open the door to the pub. "Your round, Lofty?"

"I'll get them in, you two find a seat." Isabelle offered with a smile.

"Aren't you going to tell her about you and Zoe?" Lofty asked as they sat.

"Nope, I'm waiting to hear what she says about her, and then the expression of horror when she realises."

...

 ** _Subject:_** _RE: RE: Apology_

 _Still waiting for that apology. I'm at the pub with Lofty, and some tall blonde woman in a dress and heels has decided to muscle in on our manly bonding time, so you can come too if you like._

 _Max._

 ** _..._**

 ** _Subject:_** _How kind_

 _I don't recall ever receiving such a heartfelt invitation to sit and watch the bromance unfold, but sadly I am still catching up on paperwork. Don't be home late._

 _Zoe._

…

"Good Evening, Mrs Walker."

Zoe looked up from her paperwork to find Max swaying in the doorway with a grin.

"Mr Walker. You look like you could do with a lift home."

"Yes please."

"You'll have to wait a minute, I'm just on the last file."

Max nodded and walked over to the desk, falling into the chair opposite Zoe. "I'm still waiting, by the way."

"It won't mean as much if you keep asking for it."

"Mm, good point." Max picked up the newspaper that was on the edge of the desk and began to frown over the crossword. A short while later, he lifted his head again. "Zo?"

"Mm?"

"On a scale from one to ten, how sorry are you?"

"Why?"

"…Because I may have thought of a way for you to apologise without saying sorry."

Zoe lifted her head and looked at her husband. "You want to have sex, don't you."

"Yes, but I actually meant that you could put up the new sign for you door."

Zoe sighed and looked down at it where it still rested on the edge of her desk. Dr Walker. "It just feels like a big step."

"It's just a sign."

"But it's not, is it?"

"Yes, it is. You've already signed a stack of papers that have changed your name officially, so it is just a sign. A piece of metal with a different name on it."

Zoe glanced up at Max and then down at the sign again.

"Some things just are what they appear to be, Zo."

Zoe gave a slight smile at this. "Like you."

"Yeah, like me."

"…Okay." Zoe stood up, picked up the sign and the screwdriver that rested on top of it before she walked to her door.

Standing behind her, Max rested one hand on her hip and the other on the sign, holding it in place as she screwed it in. "You know, when I told everyone at the pub that I was off to have a screw, I didn't think it would mean this."

When Zoe spun around with a frown, she found Max smiling. "…you're joking again, aren't you?"

"I am."

Zoe smiled up at Max for a moment and then pulled him closer, murmuring into his lips. "I wonder how we could properly celebrate the name change?"

"I wonder." Max whispered back before he captured Zoe's lips.

"Dr Hanna! So glad I caught you. I just…oh." Isabelle stopped when she saw who Zoe was with, and then her face paled a little when she saw the name on the new sign.

"You just what, Isabelle?" Zoe asked as Max stepped back into the office to collect her coat.

"Ah, nothing. It will keep until tomorrow."

As Isabelle rushed away, Zoe watched with a frown. "What was that about? And why are you grinning?"

"I'll tell you on the way home. Come on, it's only 10pm which means if we rush home, we might manage number 11 and 12 on the same day."

"What was number 11?"

"Well clearly it was that brilliant apology you just gave me."

"Not me letting you take a picture of me naked this morning?"

"Good point. So, we've already had number 11 and 12 today, that means unlucky 13 is next."

"We should probably get that one over and done with as fast as possible."

"Good Idea. Home, then."

"Don't-" Zoe began, but she still smiled when Max hit her bum and then sped out the front door of the ED.


	13. 13

Zoe woke the next morning with a frown. Her back was aching, and she'd fallen asleep at a weird angle. She sat up with a start. She'd fallen asleep. She'd fallen asleep in the middle of-

"Nice look." Max commented as he walked into the room with a coffee and found Zoe with her slip still up around her waist.

"I fell asleep, didn't I?" Zoe rubbed her face, beginning to redden with embarrassment.

"You did." Max put the coffee down on her bedside table. "Not sure I've ever had anyone fall asleep during sex before."

"I am so sorry. I don't know what happened." Zoe pushed herself up into a sitting position. "I was enjoying it, honestly I was, but then you lay me on the bed, and…then I woke up."

Max sat beside her and sipped at his own coffee. "My confidence may have been knocked beyond repair."

Zoe turned to him to apologise again and found him smiling. "What?"

"Unlucky number 13."

Zoe groaned and rested her forehead on Max's shoulder. "I am so, so sorry. You won't tell anyone, will you?"

"Oh yeah, I will definitely tell my mates that my gorgeous wife finds sex with me so boring she falls asleep." Max laughed softly.

"It's not funny!"

"I know! I think I might need to buy a sports car to boost my ego."

When Zoe glanced at Max again, she began to laugh. "Stop grinning!"

"I can't help it. Every time I think about it! For once it wasn't even me who was trying to convince you, it was the other way around because I thought you were way too tired. You know, in future I think it might be better if we avoid sex in bed, because I'm not sure my fragile ego could stand that happening again."

Max's laughter was soon catching and Zoe couldn't stop the laughter that bubbled from her. "I can think of something which might make you feel better?"

"What's that?"

Zoe leant forward to kiss Max, and their lips still connected she moved to straddle him, her slip riding up again. After a few seconds, Max's hands moved up her back and pulled the slip over her head.

"Will this be number 14 or a continuation of unlucky 13?" Max murmured against Zoe's collarbone as she began to roll her hips.

As he finished speaking, the doorbell rang and Zoe shut her eyes. "I cannot believe you just said that. You've cursed us. It'll probably end up being your mother."

"Please don't mention my mother while I'm staring at your breasts."

Zoe gave a soft laugh and grabbed her slip before standing to pull it on, and then she covered it with her dressing gown.

"You're not going to answer it, are you?"

"If it is your mother, she wont go away." Zoe offered, and a moment later the doorbell rang again, making her raise her eyebrows.

"It's not her, she lives hours away!"Max groaned and fell back against the bed as Zoe walked to answer the door.

Still smiling to herself, she pulled it open. Her face fell. "Greta. What a surprise! What are you doing here?"

"You weren't still in bed, were you? It's after 10!" Greta walked into the apartment without offering a proper greeting.

"We have the day off, mother. What are you doing here?" Max asked as he walked into the room pulling a t-shirt on.

"I was just in the area and thought you might want to go for lunch."

"Really? Just in the area that happens to be 2 hours from your place?" Max raised his eyebrows as he rested a chin on Zoe's shoulder, wrapping his arms around her to stop her running and leaving him alone with Greta.

"Is it a crime for a mother to see her son once in a while? You haven't been answering my calls."

"I might go for a shower and leave you two to chat." Zoe extracted herself from Max's arms and rushed from the room, leaving Max smirking.

"Alright, alright. I'll get dressed and we can go to breakfast."

"Fix your hair as well!" Greta called after him as she settled herself at the kitchen table.

"Zoeeeeeeee."

"No."

"Please." Max begged, trying to pull Zoe to him as she tried to walk into the bathroom.

Smiling, she pulled herself from him again. "No! She's your mother, you go to breakfast with her. Alone."

When Max stuck out his bottom lip, Zoe shook her head. "No, Max!"

* * *

Half an hour later Zoe walked glumly behind Greta and Max towards the cafe, still unsure quite how Max had managed to convince her to come. This was definitely unlucky number 13.


	14. 14

"That was…seriously hot."

Zoe tutted and pushed Max away from her as they exited the café a few hours later, but a smile still pulled at her lips.

"What happened? How did it go from Greta is the devil to…that? I am seriously turned on by the way."

"Shut up." Zoe grabbed Max's arm to pull him towards the car. "I just finally came to the realisation that it's just you and me in this relationship. Greta can say whatever she wants, but it doesn't matter unless one of us makes it matter. Are you actually listening or are you staring at my bum?"

"Staring at your bum." Max supplied as he slipped his finger's between hers to hold her hand. "But I can do two things at once, so I heard you as well."

"Can you? Are you sure, because I don't recall seeing much evidence of that at work." Zoe laughed. She felt so much lighter now she'd actually stood up to Greta, and couldn't seem to keep the smile from her face.

"Very funny. What do you want to do now we've been forced to leave bed for the day?"

"Shoe shopping?"

"Zoeeeee!"

"It's my only day off this week, and I need some new shoes for work!"

"Do you NEED new shoes for work, or do you WANT new shoes for work?"

"Well, the heel broke on your favourite shoes, so…"

"Not the black ones?!"

Zoe nodded and then laughed as Max sped up and pulled her along towards the shops.

* * *

An hour later Max sat glumly in a shoe shop watching Zoe pick up and put down almost every shoe. When Zoe saw him yawn, she finally took pity on him. "You go, and I'll call you when I'm done."

"Sure?"

"Positive. Go."

Max grinned as he stood up, and then despite Zoe's quiet protest gave her a long kiss before disappearing out the front of the shop with a whistle.

"He's…enthusiastic." The shop assistant noted.

"Isn't he just. Do you happen to have this shoe in black?"

* * *

"Are you dressed? I'll be there in ten minutes."

"Did we have something planned?" A sleepy voice spoke into the phone.

"No, but Zoe's shoe shopping, so she's bound to be hours, and I thought why not spend some time with my girlfriend."

"I'm your girlfriend?"

"My mum thinks so. She thinks we have an unhealthy attachment."

"…To be fair, she's probably right."

"I know. So are you dressed? 9 minutes now, and I expect you to have a beer and a game controller all set up and ready for me."

"Alright, alright! See you in 9 minutes."

"8 now." Max grinned as he hung up.

* * *

"I cannot believe you got this. It's not supposed to be out for another couple of weeks." Lofty offered two hours later as he stared at the Xbox screen.

"I know. Zoe got it for me this morning to apologise for…something." Max's eyes were glued to the screen as he spoke. He was sat next to Lofty on the couch, the table in front of them already covered in beer bottles and snacks.

"Apologise for what?" Lofty asked before groaning as his character got shot on screen.

Max glanced sideways at his friend, wondering if he should tell him when the phone rang and Zoe's name showed up. "Shit. Shit, pause it."

Lofty paused the game with a frown as Max answered.

"Zoe! How lovely to hear from you!"

"I'm finished. Are you drunk?"

"…Define drunk?"

Zoe sighed and looked down at her heavy bags with dismay. "You were supposed to be coming to pick me up. Where are you?"

"Girlfriend's place." Max offered, making Lofty laugh as he opened another bottle of beer and held it out to Max.

"We were supposed to be spending our day off together, Max."

"Come here, then. We will be done soon. Get a taxi or something."

Zoe just gave a sigh and hung up.

"Is she annoyed?" Lofty asked as he opened his own beer.

"Probably, but she owes me."

"Are you going to tell me what happened last night, then?"

"Not a chance, mate."

* * *

Despite being annoyed when she arrived, Zoe soon found herself actually enjoying watching the game they played, and when Robyn arrived home from work she found the two boys still on the couch and Zoe sat on the arm telling them what to do.

"Well..this is something I never thought I'd see." Robyn spoke as she rested her bag down.

"What?" Max asked as he handed his controller to Zoe so she could do a difficult bit.

"A woman in Jimmy Choos and a tight dress playing some stupid video game."

"It's not a stupid video game, Robyn! Have you ever tried to play this?!" Zoe asked.

"I think we have officially passed unlucky 13 and moved onto 14." Max suddenly noted.

Zoe looked from the screen up at him with a smile. "Do you think so?"

As Max nodded and his lips moved towards Zoe's Lofty suddenly called out, "Zoe! Watch out!"

She turned back to the screen too late, and large red words filled the screen- game over. "Max! That was your fault! I'd almost moved onto the next level before you distracted me with your numbers."

"You love me."

"No, I don't"

"You do, because I just ordered take away."

"What sort?"

"Chinese."

"Then I do love you." Zoe smiled into Max's lips as he captured hers.

"You have officially turned her into one of you lot. I am going upstairs for a bath." Robyn huffed, walking towards the stairs.

"Or you could play for a minute." Lofty held out his controller to her.

"…Maybe just for a minute."


	15. 15

Zoe pushed herself up to try and capture Max's lips, giving a frustrated moan when he pulled away ever so slightly. The frustration soon gave way to soft, happy moans as Max's lips made their way down her body instead.

As his kisses reached her middle, Zoe's hand suddenly shot down to his head. "Max, stop."

"Why?" He lifted his head, slightly breathless.

"The dog is watching." Zoe whispered.

Max turned his head to look towards their new dog that was sat right next to the bed. "…Back to bed, doggie."

The dog just cocked his head at Max.

"I think he wants his breakfast. Go and feed him, Max."

Max sighed and looked down between them for a moment before reaching for his boxers. He pulled them on and then slipped out of bed, conscious of the dog watching his every move. "Stay there, I'll be back in a second." Max rushed from the room.

They'd woken up before the alarm, and Max knew if he took too long, Zoe would begin to worry she'd be late and get out of bed, despite the fact that she'd started the desperate kisses minutes earlier.

Dog fed, Max rushed back into the bedroom, slinging his boxers on the floor before jumping back into the bed, making Zoe laugh. "Eager?"

"A little bit. Where was I?"

* * *

Zoe gave a happy sigh when Max slid inside her. She always made him stay still for a few moments afterwards, because as soon as she felt him her whole body relaxed and she felt perfectly happy and whole.

Sitting astride him, it was Zoe who first began to move. She loved watching the range of expressions that flowed rapidly over Max's face. When she finally reached out for his hands, allowing him to join in, Max grinned and Zoe moaned.

They both jumped when the dog barked. He was right beside them again, watching. Max groaned when Zoe finally moved away from him to comfort the dog.

"It's okay. I'm okay, come on, have you finished your breakfast?" As Zoe slid on her dressing gown and walked the dog from the room, Max called out to her.

"What am I supposed to do now?!"

"I'm sure you know, you've probably had years of practice!" Zoe called back, leading the dog to his food bowl before gently encouraging him to eat.

"Zo-eeeee! He can eat by himself! Come back!" Max called again.

"Quiet, Max! You're distracting him! You know he's funny about eating!"

Max sighed and looked down to the bulge that shaped the covers in front of him. "Sorry, mate. Cold shower time."

* * *

When they got to work early, noted grumpily by Max, Zoe got straight to work and Max skulked off to the staffroom in search of breakfast.

"Morning." Lofty offered as he glanced up from the newspaper.

"Anything edible for breakfast in here?"

"Stale bread and something which may or may not be strawberry jam in the fridge." Lofty offered before he put the paper down. "How's the dog after it's snip snip situation yesterday?"

"Snip snip situation, Lofty? Really? And you call yourself a medical professional!" Max slipped some bread into the toaster. "Whiney. Won't have anything to do with me because I took him to the vet, and thinks the sun shines out of Zoe's-"

"Who thinks the sun shines out of Zoe's what?" Zoe asked from the doorway with a raised eyebrow.

"The dog." Lofty supplied when Max gave no reply.

"Jealous?" Zoe asked as she walked in and took the bread just as it popped out of the toaster, biting into it as Max watched with dismay.

"No." Max replied grumpily.

"I don't know what he'll be like when you two have kids if he's this bad about a dog." Lofty laughed.

Zoe's slight smile fell and her eyes dropped as Max silently cursed his friend. "Come on then. If you're going to eat my breakfast, at least let me put the last of the jam on it for you as well, so I'm not forced to eat it from the jar with a spoon." Max took the toast from Zoe's fingers, but as she went to step away and claim she was no longer hungry, he caught her fingers as well and held her hand tightly as he spread jam on the toast.

When Max handed her the toast, Zoe finally glanced up into Max's eyes.

'I love you.' He mouthed to her.

Zoe smiled in return and rested her forehead on his shoulder for a moment before she straightened her back and went back to work.

* * *

"How are the blue balls?"

Max looked down from the chair he was standing on several hours later as Zoe walked into his office. "I'll live. Probably."

"What are you looking for?" Zoe sat down in his chair and gave a yawn, stretching.

"Apparently Big Mac left a box of light bulbs in here somewhere, but I can't find them."

"Do you want them to make a bad joke about having an idea?"

Max jumped down from the chair with a smile. "No, but that's a good idea. I might use that." He then glanced around the room, trying to figure out where Big Mac might have put them for safe keeping. "How's the shift going?"

"Okay, aside from the lack of porters to be found."

"Ah, well, for once that isn't my fault. My brilliant skills have been asked for by the upstairs lot."

"What brilliant skills?"

"You know how to wound a man, Dr Walker. They've got some computer issue they asked me to sort out."

Zoe smiled and reached out to Max as soon as he was close enough so she could pull him towards her by the hem of his t-shirt. "How quickly did you fix it?"

"Thirty minutes." Max replied with a smile.

"And how long did you spend up there afterwards pretending you hadn't fixed it?"

"About 3 hours." Max offered, making Zoe smile.

"I thought so. Can I have a hug?"

Max rested against the edge of the desk and pulled Zoe into his arms. As she snuggled into him and shut her eyes, she gave a contented sigh. "I don't know what I ever did without you."

* * *

With people calling in sick and the Christmas period approaching, Zoe ended up being at the hospital for almost 7 days straight. By the time she'd finished work it seemed wiser to sleep in the on call room than to spend the extra time getting home and then driving in again.

Every morning, though, she still got her favourite home comfort, because every morning as she woke with a frown at her alarm, it would turn off without her having to move, and then familiar, soft lips would descend on hers, making her smile.

Sometimes Zoe was so tired that she didn't message him to say she wouldn't make it home, so whenever Max woke alone, he'd pick out an outfit for Zoe and deliver it, along with some breakfast, to the on call room. Not that Zoe was often after breakfast. Instead, she liked to spend the few minutes they had before someone paged her kissing Max and enjoying her newfound skill of telling him how much she loved him.

5 minutes into her shift, Zoe would be back to her stressed self, her relaxed awakening forgotten as she'd snap at Max for not being around to move a patient or for making a joke at the wrong moment.

Her seventh day on shift was no different, and by the time Max's shift had finished, Zoe was still juggling patients.

"Zo, I'm-"

"Can you take patient from cubicle 3 up to AAU, please?" Zoe asked, not looking up.

"My shift has finished, but I'll find someone else to do it." Max offered, but it went unheard by Zoe as she began sifting through patient files trying to find the one she was looking for.

"…I'm off home now, then." Max offered.

"Rita, have you seen Mr Jacobs file? I'm sure it was here a minute ago." Zoe frowned.

Rita glanced at Max who just rolled his eyes and walked away to find a porter for his wife. "Ah, it's over here."

"Thanks." Zoe approached her to take it, but Rita pulled it away, making her frown. "What are you doing?"

"I'll sort out Mr Jacobs discharge, you go and say goodbye to your husband."

"Max? He's probably already gone, it's after 7."

"No, he was just here trying to say goodbye, and he worked 2 hours unpaid overtime to sort out that mess in reception."

* * *

"Max!" Zoe called out, rushing into the rain with an umbrella pulled up.

He turned, hands pushed deep into his pockets as the rain already began to soak his hair.

"Where are you going?" Zoe asked breathlessly as she reached him.

"Home."

"Don't. Come back inside." Zoe tugged at the bottom of his top.

Max gave a slight smile at this. "Much as I'd love to work 24/7 like you, one of us needs to go home and keep the as yet unnamed dog company."

"Dylan and Dervla are going to stay the night. I already called and he's on his way there. Come back in. And I don't mean to work."

"Zoe…"

"Please."

Max sighed, but his smile widened, because they both knew he wouldn't refuse her anything. "Okay, fine."

* * *

Two hours later, the remnants of a large dinner scattered the on call room table, and music played softly from the radio. On the bed, two bodies lay entwined, the smaller of the two running its hand thoughtfully up and down the bare chest of the other.

"Remember our first kiss?"

"Mm-hmm." Max replied, his eyes already half closed.

"Why did you buy me those flowers?"

"…Because you were having the day from hell, and I hadn't seen you smile."

Zoe continued to rub her hand thoughtfully up and down Max's chest before she finally decided. "I'm going to ask Connie."

"About the day we first kissed?" Max asked with a sleepy laugh.

"I'm going to ask her to cut back my shifts. She has enough in the budget for another consultant, and she can't continue to make me do some of her work unless she factors it into the time I'm rostered on." When Max gave no reply, Zoe pushed herself up. "I mean it, Max. I'm going to talk to her. Now."

"Now?" Max woke fully and pushed himself up to watch his naked wife climb from the bed and begin to throw things around to look for her phone.

"Zo, do it in the morning."

"No, I'm going to do it now." Zoe's hand finally grasped her phone and she dialled Connie's number as an amused Max watched on.

As Zoe spoke to her boss, Max rested his head back with a smile. What Connie would think if she knew Zoe was calling her in the buff.

As Zoe's voice rose while she argued and Max watched her pace the room, his smile changed to a grin. This was definitely number 15. Arguing with her boss with no clothes on just to spend more time with him. When Zoe neared him again, he reached out to wrap an arm around her waist and pull her back towards him.

She silently protested, trying to push away Max's arms, but he held tightly and pulled her down to sit on the bed.

"Hang up." He whispered in her ear.

"Connie, I know there's enough money in the budget for another doctor, or even 2, so do not give me that. I used to do your job, remember? In fact, I still do about half your job without the extra pay or time off my regular duties!"

"I am so turned on right now." Max whispered into Zoe's ear.

Zoe tried to batter Max's hand away again as it made its way up from her middle. "No, I'm not saying that, Connie, I'm just saying that I've worked 7 days straight and I was only supposed to be here for 4!" She felt her back suddenly go cold as Max moved away, but after a few seconds he reappeared, standing to walk in front of her.

As Max folded his arms and looked pointedly down to his crotch with raised eyebrows, the absurdity of the situation suddenly hit Zoe and she had to suppress her laughter as she tried to rapidly end the call to her boss.

"Sorry, I don't know what came over me." Zoe offered as she finally hung up, giggling still at the site of Max standing in front of her with an erection and a grin..

"What did she say?"

"She'll give me one admin day a week and the weekends off."

"Nice. I could ah…use a little help here."

Still giggling, Zoe pulled Max back towards the bed. "I love you."


	16. 16

**A/N- Thanks to Harriet1806 for the idea and helping with the technical parts! If anyone has any ideas for an update, even just a 1 word prompt, feel free to message me because i'm out of ideas!**

* * *

"It's not until 4, you could try and make it." Max said hopefully a week later as he packed his bag.

"I won't be able to, Max. You know what Friday's are like. I am sorry. Message and tell me how you do." Zoe went to kiss Max, but he turned his face away. She studied him for a moment before dropping a kiss to his cheek instead. "Sorry. I hope you win and I'll see you later."

As Zoe walked to the door, Max sighed whilst picking up his holder with his boots and kit and rushed after her. "Zoe, wait."

With her hand on the doorknob, Zoe turned to him.

Max put a hand on either side of her face and gave her a gentle kiss before he dropped another kiss to her nose. "Have a good day, and I'll have dinner waiting for you when you get back."

"And you'll have a shower as soon as you get home?"

Max rolled his eyes. "Yes. Though I know you secretly love my manly smell."

Zoe wrinkled her nose and then kissed Max again. "I need to go. Good luck."

* * *

"The wife coming today?" One of Max's teammates asked as they warmed up.

"Nope." Max mumbled in response.

"She does know it's the final? I've got the wife, the kids, the parents and my sister coming today."

"Lucky you. What exactly is it your wife does again?" Max asked, irritated.

"…She stays at home with the kids."

"Must be really difficult for her to get time off to come, then."

"Don't take it out on me, mate. I'm just being friendly!"

Max sighed and glanced at the man. "Sorry. It's a bit of a sore spot at the moment. She said all year she'd come to the final, but as soon as I told her the date, she said she couldn't make it. And my sister is sick, so she can't make it either."

"Well, at least the girlfriend is here."

Max glanced towards the stand and smiled when he saw Lofty. He came to every game, and even called in sick a few weeks ago so he could make it to an away game. Max raised a hand to wave and Lofty waved back with a grin. "He thinks he's the team mascot."

* * *

Zoe had only come to one of Max's football matches for the whole season, and then she'd had to leave at half time. Whenever Max's eyes scanned the crowd hopefully, he always saw the families cheering on their father, but he never saw Zoe.

Today, it was pouring rain by half time and Max was soaked to the bone, freezing and miserable. He thought he'd seen Zoe in the stands moments earlier, but when the rain cleared momentarily he saw an unfamiliar woman standing there cheering on his team mate. Lofty was stood in the rain cheering on his friend, but it was a cold comfort, because the person Max really wanted to see was working.

He was playing badly, he knew that, but today it seemed to be affecting him a lot more than it usually did. She knew this was important to him, and he knew she could get time off if she really wanted to.

"Max! MAX!" His teammate screamed out.

Max only noticed the ball when it hit him in the face.

The crowd called out, whether in annoyance as the other team got the ball or in shock at the blood that spurted from Max's nose.

"Max!" The coach motioned for him to change places with the substitute and Lofty hovered by the side of the pitch ready to treat his friend.

Max waved them away, wiping his nose on the bottom of his soaking shirt.

* * *

It was seconds before the end of the game and Max had the ball. If he got this, his team would win the cup that they had been working hard for all season.

Lofty watched from the side anxiously. He knew how much this meant to Max. Puling out his phone, Lofty began filming, as he'd promised Robyn.

When Max kicked the ball, Lofty knew immediately, as did the rest of the crowd, that the ball was going to go past the goalkeeper and into the top right hand corner, and it did. 1 - 0 to Holby United with seconds to go.

After a quick celebration amongst the Holby team, they made there way back to the half way line ready for the away team to kick off again. Seconds later the away team kicked off before the ref blow the final whistle and called the end of the game. The home fans celebrated, with Lofty cheering as loud as he could so Max could hear him.

He thought for a moment that Max was grinning at him and opening his arms, but a second later he saw Zoe running onto the pitch. She had on a shirt with Max's number on the back, and when she flew into Max's arms, he twirled her around.

"You made it!"

"You won!" Zoe grinned, pushing her damp hair from her face.

"When did you get here?"

"Half time. I didn't want to distract you, so I watched from over there." Zoe pointed to the spot in the stands that was exactly where he thought he'd seen her earlier. "How is the nose?"

"Might need to be assessed by a doctor. Know any of those?"

As Zoe grinned again, Max was pulled away by his team mates to celebrate and lift the trophy that all season they had been working long and hard towards.

* * *

"You know what you need?" Zoe asked a few hours later. She was sat on Max's knee as they both finished a drink.

"What?" Max asked, his hand sliding into the football shirt she was wearing so he could touch her skin, eager to get as close to her as he could.

Well aware of this, Zoe smiled at her husband, taking his still half full pint glass to put it on the table. "A massage."

Max smiled back, allowing her to pull him from the seat he'd been in and towards the door. "What sort of massage?"

Both were deaf to the calls of his teammates as Zoe pulled him out the front door and towards the darkened alley beside the pub. "Up to you." She offered, capturing his lips. "You are the winner after all."

As Max wriggled Zoe's skirt up a little a few minutes later, he moaned into her neck. "This is definitely number 16."

"Shut up, Walker."


	17. 17, 18 and 19

**Guest Prompt: Person A and B are making out to a sexy playlist, when suddenly a hilariously bad/turn off song comes on.**

* * *

"Don't forget it's date night tonight!" Called Max the next Monday as he passed Zoe's office, grinning when he heard her groan. It was his pick today. "Don't trust me to pick something we both like?"

Zoe looked up from her paperwork to where Max was leaning on the doorframe. "Max, last time you picked it was lasertag."

"Don't pretend you didn't enjoy it, Doctor Walker. I let you win, after all." Max grinned, aware of what his wife's response would be as he took a step in and shut the door gently.

"Oh you let me win? You LET me win?" Zoe asked, standing to put her hands on her hips.

"Yeah, I did."

"That's what you really think?"

Max could tell Zoe was growing annoyed, but ignored it for a moment before he finally grinned. "Fine, you won fair and square, but don't tell the boys."

Zoe smiled now, approaching Max to rest her hands on his chest. "Worried they'll think your wife is better than you are?"

"They already think you're better looking and smarter. A man has got to have something." Max said as he wrapped his arms around his wife.

"For the record, I think you're way better looking." Zoe mumbled into Max's lips as he kissed her.

"And smarter?" Max asked hopefully.

"Well…" Zoe gave a shrug, laughing when Max hit her on the bum and left the office.

* * *

When Zoe got home that evening, the house was only dimly lit, and there was quiet music playing. A smile pulling at her lips, she shut the door and slipped off her heels. "Max?"

Zoe jumped when a gentle kiss was placed on the back of her neck and a blindfold was put gently over her eyes. "Max, what-"

"Do you trust me?"

"You know I do."

When Zoe replied straight away, Max dropped another kiss to her neck before leading her through to the dining room. He pulled out a seat and helped her sit.

A moment later, she heard the noise of wine being poured and she smiled. "Max?"

"Take the blind fold off."

Zoe did as he instructed, her smile widening when she found the table was set up exactly like her favourite restaurant, complete with hundred's of candles.

"I tried to get a booking, but they're fully booked for the next month, so I thought if I can't take Zoe to her favourite place, I'll bring it to her."

"Did you make all this?" Zoe asked, looking down at the starter.

"All from scratch. I left work early, but don't tell the boss."

Still smiling, Zoe leant forward to capture Max's lips. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

* * *

Two hours later, they were entwined on the couch, kisses alternating between passionate, desperate and slow, loving kisses.

A playlist Max had created from songs he remembered Zoe liked was playing, and every time Zoe thought of all the time he'd spent giving her the perfect evening, her kisses grew deeper.

 _When we're together_

 _Touchin' each other_

 _And our bodies do what we feel_

 _When we're dancin'_

 _Smoochin' and swayin'_

 _Tender love song softly playin'_

 _Move closer_

 _Move your body real close_

 _Until we feel like_

 _We're really makin' love_

* * *

 _As the song played, Zoe remembered the first time she'd heard it. She'd been dancing with a man she barely knew, whose name she could no longer remember, but then her memory suddenly skipped to the first time she'd heard it with Max. It had been an 80's night at the pub and he'd asked her to dance. They'd only kissed before that, but as they danced and Max's lips brushed hers gently and his strong arms pulled her impossibly close, Zoe had whispered in his ear that they needed to go._

 _"Why?" Max had whispered back, looking a little confused._

 _Zoe had bit her lip then, trying not to smile at the pure innocence on his face. He didn't realise that he'd been whispering the lyrics gently in her ear, or the effect it was having on her body._

 _In the darkness of the corner where they were dancing, where no one else could see them, Zoe had taken Max's hand and placed it between her legs._

 _When Max felt the heat and wetness emanating from there, he pressed Zoe against the wall to kiss her deeper._

 _"We need to go. Now." Zoe repeated. Sure, somehow, that even without Max touching her, just his voice was going to send her over the edge._

* * *

"Penny for them?" Max suddenly whispered in her ear, bringing her back to the present.

"I was just thinking about when we first danced to this song." Zoe replied softly, her hand rubbing her husbands bare chest.

Max grinned at the memory. "Not sure exactly how we managed to have sex in your tiny car."

Zoe rested her face on Max's chest as she laughed softly. "You got leg cramp, but I thought you were just groaning because you were enjoying it so much."

Max lifted Zoe's face, kissing her again, pushing back until she was lying back on the couch and his body pinned her there.

She could feel his heart hammering in his chest, his muscles flexing as his hand slid between them, reminding her what he'd done in the pub. Her breath caught in her throat as Max's fingers began rubbing her between her legs, the same warmth and wetness quickly making them both groan.

"More. Please." Zoe now begged, pulling Max's head down her tongue dancing with his as her legs wrapped around his hips, desperate to feel even closer.

 _Baby, I'd love you to want me_

 _The way that I want you_

 _The way that it should be_

 _Baby, you'd love me to want you_

 _The way that I want to_

 _If you'd only let it be._

As Max moved back, Zoe's breath caught in her throat. She watched him slowly undress her as though it was a dream.

Max's eyes travelled with his hands and when she was completely naked in front of him, he drew in a sharp breath. It always surprised him that she was his, that she wanted him. That she'd chosen him. As Zoe whispered his name softly, telling him she loved him, Max watched as the cool air made her nipples stand out.

Finally, slowly, he lowered himself back to her, kissing deeply once more.

They both froze when the next song came on.

Zoe was first to speak, her voice wavering slightly. "Why did you pick this song?"

"I thought it was something else." Max replied, a smile pulling at his lips.

After spending several moments in silence, Zoe finally began to giggle, and it grew into loud laughter. "At least you're honest." Zoe managed, laughing harder when Max attempted to look indignant.

"Are you laughing at me, Mrs Walker?"

Zoe nodded, biting her lip in a failed attempt to stop herself as Max looked down at her with raised eyebrows.

"I'll have you know I can last much, much longer than you can."

"Prove it." Zoe smiled up at him.

 _We only got four minutes huh four minutes_

 _So keep it up keep it up_

 _Don't be a prima donna_

* * *

When Zoe fell against the couch a long time later, she was completely breathless and slick with sweat. "Well…that was definitely number 17."

As Max lay next to her, he gave a breathless laugh. "And 18…and 19."

Zoe laughed, pressing her face to his chest. "I may have to call in sick tomorrow, I'm not sure I'll be able to walk."


	18. 20

A month later and Zoe was trying Max's phone for the 5th time that night. She was working night shift, and he was supposed to be going out with friends, but he'd promised to call her at midnight to tell her how he was, and it was just after 1 now. She let out a sigh and then hung up as there was a knock on the door. "Come in!"

Robyn stepped inside and Zoe didn't think she'd ever seen her look so pale.

On her feet in an instant, she rushed to her sister-in-law. "Are you okay?"

Robyn shook her head, allowing Zoe to lead her to the couch before she finally managed to speak. "It's Max."

Zoe's heart dropped. "What?"

"We just got a call. There's been a building collapse-That big nightclub in town. That's where Max was going, wasn't it?"

"..Yes, but he said he was leaving at midnight, so I'm sure he's fine. He's probably asleep in bed already." Zoe managed to speak with false confidence.

Robyn looked relieved, nodding, but her face quickly paled again when Zoe's phone rang, showing Dixie's name.

Zoe answered it with a shaking hand, putting it on speaker. "Dixie?"

"I'm at the building collapse, sweetheart, and there's someone hear who wants to talk to you. Hold on a minute." As Zoe's eyes flickered shut, Dixie passed the phone to Max.

"Shouldn't you be working instead of chatting on the phone?"

When Max talked clearly, Zoe let out a laugh that sounded more like a sob to her ears. "You're okay?"

Max glanced up at Dixie and then at the sharp metal shard that was through his thigh. "Fine. I just lost my phone, and I knew you'd be worried so Dixie let me borrow hers."

"But you're okay? Will you be coming in?" Robyn asked, leaning closer to the phone in the hope that somehow she would know whether he was really okay.

"I'm perfect. Listen, I'd better go because Dixie needs some help. But I'll come in soon."

"I love you." Zoe managed, her heart still pounding with a mix of fear and relief. He was okay.

As soon as he hung up, Dixie as by his side once more. "Why did you say that? As soon as you're there they'll know you're lying."

"But when I'm there I can reassure them properly. And we both know that if Zoe knew I was injured, she'd be here in a shot and I don't want to risk her getting hurt."

Dixie sighed, shaking her head. "We need to move you now, and we have to do it slowly. It's going to hurt."

Max nodded, clenching his fist and imagining Zoe in front of him, giving that sleepy early morning smile that he loved so much.

* * *

Whenever someone Zoe recognised as one of Max's friends came in, she cross-questioned them, but no one seemed to know anything. Connie had quickly given up trying to get Zoe or Robyn to work and had instead directed them to the relatives room. "If he said he'd fine, then I'm sure he is."

"Or he'd jus saying that." Robyn mumbled, voicing Zoe's concern.

"Maybe I should go there, maybe-" Zoe began, but was interrupted by Lofty rushing in.

"Max is here!"

Zoe rushed out, looking for Max's face amongst the sea of dusty people, but she couldn't see him anywhere. Then she saw Dixie, and the concerned look on her face when Dixie saw her. She stepped forward to talk to her friend, but something else caught her eye and for a moment her world stopped.

"Hello, gorgeous." Max smiled at her from where he sat on a bed.

Zoe gave no reply, arms folded as she stared at the injury.

"Zoe, look, he-" Dixie began, ready to explain, but was cut off by Zoe directing her to resus.

For the next hour Zoe treated Max but completely ignored anything he said and the words of anyone telling her someone else should treat him. Thankfully the metal had not hit anything important, but as Connie went to pull it out, Max reached for Zoe's hand and she ripped it from him. Max studied her face and then stopped trying to talk to her, confused.

In complete silence, she stitched the wound and then told the nurse to dress it before she turned to leave the room.

"Zoe-" Max tried to grab her hand again, but once more she pulled it from him and he was surprised that when she spun around, she was angry.

"No. No, Max. You're not allowed to do this to me. This is not what's supposed to happen. You're…dependable and safe and you're supposed to be okay always."

Max reached out again when Zoe began to cry, but she pulled her hand away again and crossed her arms.

"You're not supposed to get hurt, and you're always supposed to be here when I'm scared but you weren't!"

"I'm sorry." Max managed softly, trying to calm her without touching her. "I'm sorry."

"Well I don't accept your apology! Dress his wound and make sure he get's a prescription for antibiotics and some crutches before he's discharged." Zoe instructed the nurse as she wiped furiously at the tears on her face.

Both the nurse and Max watched Zoe leave with a mixture of confusion and worry.

Outside Dylan saw his friend rush from resus in tears and followed her until she stopped outside, gulping at the fresh air.

"Zoe? Is Max okay?"

She wiped her cheeks again, embarrassed now. "He's fine. He should be discharged in an hour or so."

"Then why the tears?" Dylan asked, resting against the wall beside her.

"…Because I love him. "

"And that's a bad thing?"

"I love him too much, Dylan. If he gets hurt again, or worse, I'll… stop. I'll stop existing, because I can't be me without him."

"Zoe-"

"And he has no right to get hurt! He looks after me, he's dependable. I'm the one who does stupid things and needs help, not Max."

Dylan sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "So…shouldn't you be happy that he's not badly injured? Shouldn't you be in there with him hugging him or whatever it is normal people do?"

"I guess I'm just not normal!" Zoe snapped, scrubbing her cheeks so hard they began to redden.

Dylan opened his mouth to reply, but then saw Max trying to make his way out unsteadily on crutches, so instead left silently, allowing Max to take his place.

"Zo-"

"You should be inside. They haven't discharged you yet."

"I'm confused." Max admitted.

"Good. You should be because you're…you're…an ass!"

Max smiled at this, and rested unsteadily against the wall. "I'm a donkey because I happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time?"

Zoe nodded.

"You know, my mates wife just came in and gave him a hug, told him she loved him and then cried because he was hurt. All I get is yelled at and called names."

Zoe pursed her lips, willing herself not to cry again.

"…I could really use a hug, Spiderman."

Zoe turned to Max intending to yell again, but after a moment's hesitation she gave him a hug with so much force they were both almost knocked over.

"I'm okay." Max whispered into Zoe's ear. When Zoe just gave a muffled sob into his shirt, Max dropped a kiss to her head. "How about I promise not to get hurt again?"

Zoe nodded her head as Max tightened his grip on her.

* * *

Much later, they stood in Zoe's office hugging once more, because Zoe had cried again when Connie approved Max for discharge, worried something bad would happen if he wasn't a patient any longer.

After much reassurance from Max, her tears had quietened and she was just snivelling into his shirt when he spoke. "You know what I think this is?"

"What?" Zoe asked, blotting her faced with Max's shirt.

"Number 20."

Zoe sniffed and looked up at him. "Me crying and being irrational is number 20?"

"Mm-hmm. Because it means you love me."

"I do." Zoe's eyes clouded with tears again, and Max gave a soft laugh as she buried her face to cry once more.


	19. 21

Max was grumpy. Not a little bit grumpy, but a lot grumpy. He'd had a lot of plans for the weeks leading up to Christmas, and now he was stuck at home hobbling around on crutches. He was never the sort to spend much time watching TV or reading, so he'd quickly got bored of being at home all day whilst Zoe went to work. Soon he began messaging her every few minutes, and when she didn't reply straight away he'd call. If she didn't answer the call, then Robyn or reception would be called, and Zoe was getting thoroughly sick of being chased after by Noel or Robyn telling her she needed to call Max straight away. When she did call him back, all he wanted to know was how work was and what everyone was doing. When Zoe had suggested perhaps he go and stay with his mother because she was at home all day, Max had grown angry and stormed from the room as best he could with one good leg.

Now he'd been home for a week and was getting even worse. He'd just made himself food but had tripped and dropped the plate, and now the food lay on the floor and Max lay on the sofa, angrily throwing the stress ball Zoe had given him at the ceiling. Deciding to see what Zoe was doing, sure she said her meeting finished at half past 12, he reached for his phone.

 _Max: What are you doing?_

 _Max: Zoe?_

 _Max: Are you busy?_

 _Max: I've dropped baked beans on your favourite rug._

 _Max: Sorry._

 _Max: What time will you be home?_

 _Max: What are you doing now?_

 _Zoe: I'm working!_

Max sighed and resumed his ball throwing. After a few minutes he sat up when he heard a key in the lock. "Zoe?"

"No, it's me." Robyn called, shutting the door with a bang. He heard her sigh when she saw the state of the rug and then the opening and closing of doors as she found something to clean it with. "You know you could have cleaned this up yourself!"

Max gave no reply, just continued to throw the ball until suddenly a hand appeared over him to catch it.

"What are you doing?" Robyn asked, raised eyebrow.

"What does it look like I'm doing?"

"Nothing except pestering everyone." Robyn replied.

"Well maybe you would all have preferred it if the metal went through my head instead of my leg." Max grumbled, reaching for his phone again.

"Oh, enough, Max! Stop feeling so sorry for yourself and go and pack a bag." Robyn grabbed the phone from him.

"A bag?"

"I got Zoe as my secret Santa, so as her present I'm taking you away for the night."

"Do I have any say in this?"

"None. Go and sort out a bag and I'll write Zoe a note."

Max sighed and pushed himself from the couch before grabbing his crutches.

* * *

Concerned by the lack of messages from Max, Zoe finished work early and rushed home. "Max! I'm home. Where are you?" She called as slipped off her shoes. "Max?" When she still received no reply, she first check the couch, then the bedroom, a frown forming on her forehead. Worried he'd fallen or something worse, her pace quickened and she checked the bathroom and spare rooms before finally coming across the note in the kitchen.

 _Dear Zoe,_

 _As your Christmas gift from me this year, I am taking your annoying husband away for the night. Enjoy the peace and quiet while it lasts._

 _Love, your Secret Santa._

Zoe grinned to herself as she recognised the writing. Thank god for Robyn. She loved her husband with all her heart, but over the last few days all she'd felt about him was annoyance. Tonight, she'd have take away, a bath, a box of chocolates, and watch terrible movies in peace.

* * *

Two hours later, Zoe sat on the couch glumly. The take away had been cold by the time it arrived, and for the life of her she couldn't get the oven to work, then the water wouldn't heat so she'd sat in a cold bath, and now she was sat freezing on the couch trying to watch a movie.

 _Zoe: Where are you?_

 _Zoe: What are you doing?_

 _Zoe: I'm bored and hungry._

 _Max: I'm at Robyn's._

 _Zoe: Do you think she'd notice if I snuck in?_

 _Max: Probably, considering she's 'taken me on' to give you a rest because I'm 'annoying'._

 _Robyn: Are you messaging Max? He's fine, I promise. He's been fed and watered and I will get him to bed at a reasonable hour._

Zoe sighed and banged her phone down before drawing her knees to her chest as she tried to concentrate on the movie.

* * *

Max woke with a start at about midnight when the door to his room creaked open. He watched with blurry vision as the door was shut gently, and then a smile pulled at his lips when Zoe stepped into the moonlight as she quietly undressed, swearing softly to herself when she stepped on a creaking floorboard.

"What are you doing here?"

Zoe jumped as Max spoke, and then gave a sheepish grin as she slid into the bed beside him, pressing herself tightly against his side to try and get warm.

"I missed you." She replied as her head rested on his chest.

"I thought I was annoying you." Max yawned, one arm slipping around his wife.

"You were, but it turns out I'd rather be annoyed with you than you not be there." Zoe replied, smiling to herself as Max's hand snaked it's way down her back to rest where it usually did on her bum. "I've got the next few days off so we can stay at home and be bored together."

"I can't think of anyone I'd rather be bored with." Max dropped a kiss to Zoe's head as she yawned widely.

"Good, now go to sleep. I'm tired because someone woke me up at 5am asking what I was going to wear to work."

Max smiled now. "I just wanted to know in case I was asleep when you left. I like to picture you at work when I'm not there, and I know just how every dress you own looks when you-"

Zoe lifted her head and interrupted him. "Have you spent this last week at home thinking about my bum in work clothes?"

"Might have. Go to sleep, I'm tired."

Zoe rested her head back down with a smile. "Max?"

"Mmm?"

"Is this number 21?"

Max smiled to himself at the hope in her voice. "Could be."

Zoe smiled and shut her eyes.

"Zo?"

"Mmm?"

"What will you be wearing tomorrow?"

"Go to sleep!"

* * *

 **A/N- Next chapter will be 2 review prompts combined, involving a lap dance and christmas! Please review and give me any ideas you have for further chapters xxxxxxxxx**


	20. 22- Part 1

"Seriously?" Robyn asked, raised eyebrows.

"Yes." Her sister-in-law replied as she signalled the barman. "Isn't that what people are supposed to do at staff parties? Get unreasonably drunk and make out with their colleagues?"

"…Well, yes, but we're the only two people here at the moment because it's only 6 o'clock." Robyn replied.

"We will get a head start, then!" Zoe added.

Before Robyn had the time to question her colleague further, other people began to arrive and she was pulled away as Zoe downed both the shot she'd brought for herself and the one she'd got for Robyn.

* * *

"Robyn, come and dance with me!" Two hours and many shots later, Zoe tried to pull the redhead onto the dance floor.

"I'm in the middle of a conversation! When is Max getting here?" Robyn asked, trying to shake off the doctor's grip.

"Soon. Pleeeeeease Robyn. I love this song!" Zoe begged.

Rolling her eyes, Robyn offered Iain an apologetic smile and allowed Zoe to pull her onto the dance floor. She was saved from actually dancing, however, when she saw Max enter the club. "Max is here!"

Zoe spun around with a grin, and as Max greeted their colleagues she made her way towards him, throwing her arms around him. "MAX!"

"Zoe!" Max mimicked her enthusiasm, smiling at the wide grin on her face. "How much have you had to drink?"

"Don't remember. Come and dance with me!" Zoe tried to pull Max towards the dance floor, and he went much more willingly than his sister had.

* * *

"I wondered where you'd got to. I was expecting you to be hugging a toilet bowl somewhere!" Robyn exited the club, making her way to the smoking area where Zoe was resting against the wall with a cigarette.

"I thought you'd know by now that I hold my drink better than that." Zoe smiled, blowing out some smoke.

Robyn nodded, resting against the wall as well before broaching the subject she'd been curious about all night. "I've spoken to a few people who worked today, and they said it was a pretty quiet shift."

Zoe nodded, drawing on her cigarette again.

"So…I was wondering why you were so desperate to get drunk when we got here?" Robyn asked.

"I wasn't desperate!" Zoe exclaimed. When Robyn raised her eyebrows, Zoe smiled. "Well, it wasn't about work."

"What was it about, then?" Robyn asked, curiosity eating at her.

"You really want to know?"

Robyn nodded.

"Max. He ahh…the metal that went through his leg was a little close to his…thing, and the doctor said he can't…sort of…"

"Oh." Robyn stated, wishing she hadn't asked.

"Yeah. And It's…rare we go so long without…it, so I'm a bit…you know."

Both Robyn and Zoe blushed as she spoke, Zoe taking a long drag on her cigarette and Robyn shuffling her feet before she finally offered, "I'll go inside and get us some more drinks. See you back in there!"

Zoe nodded and watched her colleague rush off as she dropped her cigarette butt and stood on it. She considered going inside, but decided after telling her husband's sister that she was horny, she probably deserved another cigarette.

She placed an unlit cigarette into her lips and pressed her lighter, but it only sparked. Grumbling to herself, Zoe shook the lighter and tried again. When there was nothing, she shook it more violently, muttering to herself, "Fuck."

"Need a light?" A deep voice suddenly offered, the flame from a lighter appearing in front of her.

Zoe smiled, leaning forward to light her cigarette. "Thanks."

"No problem. I don't usually partake, but I'm at the staff Christmas party with a bunch of accountants, so needs must." The man lit a cigarette as Zoe offered him a polite smile. "I don't think I've seen you here before."

"That would be because yesterday was the clubs opening night." Zoe replied.

The man gave a smile, nodding. "Good point. Well, there goes my first pick up line, then."

Zoe let smoke flow gently from her lips as she nodded. "Not the most unusual of ones, anyway."

"You're a lady who likes the less usual pick up lines, then?"

"Used to." Zoe held up her left hand, her wedding ring glinting in the moonlight.

"Ah."

"Yeah. I should get back inside. Thanks for the light." Zoe offered and she dropped her second cigarette into the bin.

"No problem. Have a good night." The man called after her.

Zoe offered a wave over her shoulder.

* * *

"Guess what?" Zoe sat next to Max on the couch, letting her high heels drop as she tucked one leg under herself and lifted an arm to rest on Max's shoulder so she could play with his hair.

Tilting his head a little, Max offered a smile, resting his hand on Zoe's leg. "What?"

"Some guy outside just tried a really boring pick up line on me." Zoe offered, accepting a glass of wine from Robyn.

"The cheek of him! Surely your reputation for preferring the more unusual pick up lines has spread this far into Holby by now!"

"I know!" Zoe exclaimed, dropping a kiss to Max's cheek. "What is a 'come here often' supposed to do against…what was it…'got a light?'"

"Don't pretend you didn't fall for me right then and there. I just ooze charm, I've always got women falling over their own feet to get to me." Max replied, turning his head to drop a firm kiss to Zoe's own cheek.

"You know, you say that, but I've yet to see proof of it. How did the doctor's appointment go?"

"You ask me that after I've been here for hours? I thought you were supposed to be a loving wife?!" Max asked in mock indignation.

"I wanted to get suitably drunk before asking in case the answer is something I'd rather not know." Zoe whispered in his ear. Nearby, Robyn glanced at them and blushed again.

"Well your liver will be pleased to know that the doctor has approved me for action, so what do you say to going home?" Max whispered back.

Zoe gave a wide smile, but as she was about to reply, Rita appeared, calling everyone back together so they could begin some of the things she'd planned for this evening. Glancing at Max, Zoe stuck out her bottom lip.

"Never mind. We've got the next two days off to catch up on what we missed out on." Max said gently in Zoe's ear. His lips brushing her ear made Zoe shiver, and as the festivities began, she moved back from him ever so slightly, downing her wine in one gulp.

* * *

"Your turn, Zoe!" Rita held out a wrapped present for secret santa.

"I thought Robyn got me?!" Zoe asked, putting down her wine to take the large present.

"I didn't think it counted because you showed up at mine, so I swapped with someone." Robyn offered.

Glancing around at her colleagues, hoping to tell who it was from, Zoe began unwrapping her present. When she'd pulled the paper off, her heart sank. In her lap was a shoebox from her most hated shoe shop. The one she'd been forced to go to as a child to get school shoes. It was the type of shop where one could easily get a pair of heels for so cheap that Zoe wouldn't be seen dead in them. Hoping her fake smile wasn't noticed, Zoe prepared to pretend happiness when she opened the box.

The next thing was a gasp, and she pulled out the pair of shoes she'd been thinking about buying for months but could never find in her size. and they were definitely not from that shoe shop. She knew they cost a lot more than the secret santa limit. Glancing around, Zoe tried to read her colleagues expressions as the girls came over to gaze at the shoes, but it wasn't until her eyes fell onto the last person that she knew who'd got her for secret santa.

Max was standing back from the crowd a little with a smile on his face, and when Zoe's eyes fell onto him and she mouthed 'thank you', he offered a nod in return.

* * *

"You know secret santa was only supposed to be a tenner?" Zoe asked a short time later as she took the cigarette from her husband's lips so she could kiss him.

"You like them, then?"

"Well, it makes me wonder what your proper Christmas present for me is going to be." Zoe returned the cigarette and then snuggled into Max's chest.

"You'll have to wait and see." Max replied, dropping a kiss to her head.

"So… home time?" Zoe asked hopefully.

Before Max could reply, Rita appeared, waving them back inside enthusiastically. "Come on you two! We still have things to do!"

"She is definitely not planning the Christmas party next year." Max grumbled.

Groaning, Zoe following him back towards the doorway. "Bah humbug."

"…Want to make a run for it?" Max asked.

"In these heels?" Zoe looked down and then laughed as Max swept her into his arms, making a run for the taxi rank.


	21. 22- Part 2

**A/N: I know I said I'd include a lap dance, but I couldn't work out how to write it well enough. I hope you enjoy this instead.**

* * *

Zoe let out a long breath and ran her fingers through her hair. After a moment, the feeling that was pooling between her legs made her mutter a sharp, "Fuck."

Max smirked as the taxi driver glanced into the rear view mirror.

"Max, I'm desperate." Zoe said softly to her partner, shifting a little in her seat.

Max bit his lip to stop himself laughing at the drivers' expression as he tried to work out what was going on in his back seat.

Zoe rested her head onto the back of her seat, moaning softly as she began to roll her hips, desperate now for release.

When the taxi finally stopped in front of their building, Zoe clamoured out and grabbed Max's sleeve, trying to pull him from the vehicle. "Max, please. I need to NOW."

Holding out money with one hand to the driver, Max used his other hand to grab the bag with their Christmas presents in. "Keep the change."

"You've got a live one there, mate." The man offered the porter as he climbed from the taxi.

It was only in the apartment a few minutes later after Zoe had finally gone for a wee that she thought about what the driver had said. "Max! What did he mean?"

"Who?" Max asked, studying himself in the mirror as he tried to wipe off lipsticks stains Zoe had left before coming the conclusion that he would have her lips stained on his neck permanently.

"The driver. He said you…oh god. He thought we were…he thought I was…oh god." Zoe put her head in her hands.

Laughing, Max walked back into the bedroom where Zoe was sat on the edge of the bed. "Well we might have been, if you weren't desperate for a wee."

"I think I drank too much." Zoe groaned, rested her head on Max's shoulder as he sat beside her.

"I guess you don't want any of the champagne I got for Secret Santa, then."

"Champagne? Who got you and thought champagne would be a good gift idea?" Zoe asked, incredulous.

"I'll have you know I'm a very sophisticated gentleman when the situation calls for it." Max stood up, holding out a hand to Zoe.

As she took it and allowed Max to lead her into the kitchen, Zoe frowned. "But who-" She began, but then remembered seeing Connie pull a bottle of champagne from a gift bag, read the label in great detail, wrinkle her nose and push it back into the bag before writing something on the tag. "Nevermind. Only a small glass for me, plese."

Max snorted at this and filled the flute as much as he would usually before pushing it across at his wife.

* * *

Half an hour later and Max was sat on the couch with his eyes closed and a giggling Zoe straddling his lap. "It's not funny."

"It is." Zoe replied, continuing to giggle. She'd told Max that after weeks of abstinence that she wanted it to be romantic, so he'd made her wait in the kitchen and he'd lit hundreds of candles and then scattered rose petals on the bed. The only problem was that they didn't have any fresh flowers in the house, so the petals he'd scattered had turned out to be plastic shards from the fake set of flowers Zoe kept in the kitchen. Now their bed felt like it was full of lego, and so they sat together on the couch.

"Stop laughing!" Max cried, his eyes opening as a smile began to pull at his lips.

"I can't believe you didn't notice." Zoe giggled, but when Max's bottom lip stuck out, she leant forward to kiss him. "I will forgive you on one condition."

"Name it." Max replied.

"Clothes off." Zoe ordered as she climbed off him.

Grinning, Max jumped up and hastily shed his clothes, but the grin faded when he saw Zoe looking at his scar. Though it was healed, it was still a dark, angry red, and every time Zoe looked at it in the past she'd began crying. "Zo-"

She gave a slight smile, looking away. "I'm fine. Sit down."

Max obliged, watching his wife curiously.

Smiling again, Zoe returned to her spot on his lap, her knees resting either side of him as she rested her bum on his bare thighs. "So, last week, I happened to come across this article, and I think you might like what I read."

Max kissed Zoe slowly, pulling her a little closer so he could begin tugging on her top. "Oh yeah?"

* * *

"Fuck." Was Max's response a short time later as Zoe cried his name for the second time.

Zoe just gripped onto him tighter, smashing their lips together again desperately as she came down from her second high of the evening.

"What exactly were you reading?" Max asked breathlessly, his hands trying to gain some traction on his wife's sweat slicked body.

"I can't say, I was reading it at work on NHS time." Zoe replied, her smile returning as she leant forward to kiss Max.

"Thank god for NHS time." Max offered, making Zoe squeal as he lifted her from his lap and lay her on her back, hovering over her.

"Again?" He asked with a wolfish grin.

"Yes please!"

* * *

Half an hour later and still pressed together, offering gentle and sleepy kisses now, Zoe and Max jumped when the alarm rang to signal someone was at the door.

Glancing at the clock, Zoe crinkled her nose. "It's 3am, leave it."

More than happy to, Max returned to kissing Zoe's collarbone, but when the alarm rang again he was left sitting by himself as Zoe stormed stark naked towards the phone.

"What?!" She barked into the phone.

"It's Rita. Robyn has been taken sick." Rita offered apologetically.

"Then why didn't you take her home?" Zoe demanded, her voice softening a little at the end as Max walked up behind her and pulled her back into him as he kissed her neck.

"This place was closer. Please. She's been sick in my car twice." Rita begged.

"Fine." Zoe offered with a sigh, buzzing them inside. "Robyn's sick. She's your sister, so she's your problem. I'm going for a shower than going to bed." Zoe grumbled, but a smile still pulled at her lips when Max pressed her against the wall to kiss her firmly again.

"Wait. I'll settle her in bed and then join you in the shower." Max offered.

"Ready for round 2 already?" Zoe asked with a smirk. "I thought you were tired."

"I was, but I don't think I've ever seen something quite so erotic as a naked Dr Hanna storming across a room angrily." Max replied honestly.

In the bedroom, Zoe was still giggling to herself as Max pulled on boxers and let his sister inside, trying to usher her into the spare room.

"That was definitely number 22." Zoe whispered to herself as she entered the en suite and started the shower.


	22. 23

**A/N- For Oblivionokay, happy 17th!**

* * *

Zoe is a bad mood. A very bad mood. Her two days off had been cancelled because of a large snow storm, so instead of staying in bed and nursing her hangover, it was 10am and she was at work trying to ignore the banging in her head and her almost overwhelming craving for a hot mince pie.

"You look bright eyed and bushy tailed." Offered Cal as he passed her a patient file with a happy grin.

Zoe threw him a death glare as she took the file and then a gulp of her coffee. "Connie said I had to come in, she didn't say I had to be happy about it."

"I see, so Connie caused the snow storm and made you drink your weight in alcohol last night then, did she? This is all her fault?" He teased, earning another glare from Zoe.

As Cal walked away and Zoe opened the file to give it a quick read through, someone else stopped in front of her. "Looking chirpy this morning."

"If one more person makes a comment like that, I swear-" Zoe began, but when she looked up a slight smile pulled at her lips. "What's that?"

Max smiled, glancing up at the foliage he held between them. "Mistletoe."

"It's parsley, Max." Zoe pointed out.

"Well apparently mistletoe is in short supply this Christmas. Do I get a kiss?" He pursed his lips, then smiled as Zoe leant forward as though she was going to kiss him, but instead drew the parsley into her mouth and chewed it, walking away with a smirk.

* * *

An hour later and Zoe was waiting on the phone for some results when a shadow fell over her.

"Zo, guess what?"

Zoe looked up, a smile pulling at her lips when she found Max holding a mint leaf between them. "That's mint, Max."

"Worth a try." Max brushed the mint over Zoe's nose and she lifted her head, biting it and then drawing it into her mouth as she was taken off hold and given the results.

Smiling again, Max went back to work.

* * *

Zoe was even more annoyed now. Not only had Connie called her in on her day off, but had then asked if she'd go to a meeting on her behalf. Actually, she didn't ask, she told, and before Zoe had a chance to reply the woman had vanished. So Zoe had just spent two hours listening to old men discuss things she wasn't interested in as they ate biscuits and spat crumbs on her as they spoke. Wiping the imaginary spittle from her arms angrily as she exited the meeting room, Zoe didn't notice the man outside and walked straight into him.

"What the f-" She began.

"Kiss?" Max interrupted.

Zoe looked up at the leaves he was holding above them with raised eyebrows and then stepped around him to continue her way downstairs, calling over her shoulder. "It's supposed to be Mistletoe, Max, not basil!"

* * *

Two hours later, Zoe exited a cubicle dismayed and gave Dylan a slight smile when he handed her a cloth to blot the vomit that had hit her with full force. "Thanks."

"Just be thankful you have Christmas Eve and Christmas day off this year, those will be way worse than today." He reminded her.

"But I am working new years eve. Can you keep an eye on my patient while I go and find some scrubs? Thanks."

...

Scrubs in hand, Zoe walked from the staffroom, intending to make her way to the bathroom to change, but found her way blocked by a large tree branch. "MAX!"

A second late his face appeared with a smile. "Kiss?"

"Move this outside before someone trips over it." Zoe responded, stepping over the branch to make her way to the bathroom.

* * *

"Would you be able to stay another hour? I know you've come in on your day off, but I think another hour will clear this place out." Connie asked hopefully. Before Zoe could reply, Connie suddenly asked, "Noel, why is there a…rather pathetic looking Christmas tree hanging upside down in the doorway to the staffroom?"

"Ah, it…ah…" He began, attempting to think of some reasonable explanation.

When Max appeared in the doorway and gave Zoe a smile, she rolled her eyes. "I think I know, Connie. Leave it with me. MAX!"

"Kiss?"

"Get that down NOW!"

* * *

An hour later Zoe sank into one of the couches in the staffroom. Though she was sure Connie would find her and ask her to work longer if she didn't leave straight away, Zoe's feet were killing her.

"Kiss?"

Zoe didn't bother opening her eyes and gave no response until a certain scent caught her nose. "Is that-"

"Kiss?"

Zoe's eyes flickered open to find Max holding a tray that held a plate of Christmas dinner, complete with gravy, and another plate with mince pies, and a glass of what Zoe could only assume was mulled wine. Max was holding this on one wobbling hand as the other held a rather dusty and moth eaten piece of plastic mistletoe.

"Big kiss." Zoe responded as she stood up, taking the tray and laying it carefully down before pulling Max close.

* * *

Half an hour later, Zoe found herself back in cubicles, but this time her headache was gone, her stomach was full and a smile was on her face.

"You're actually looking bright eyed and bushy tailed now." Cal offered as he passed her, blotting vomit from his shirt with a frown. "What's your secret?"

"Number 23." Zoe responded, grinning at him before she pulled the cubicle curtain shut.


	23. 24

As soon as Zoe woke, a smile pulled on her lips. Outside, a storm raged loudly, but inside was toasty warm and she was pressed up against the warm body of her sleeping husband.

Pushing hair from her eyes, Zoe sat up a little, smiling properly when Max gave a grumble and rolled onto his side, eyes still tightly closed. Glancing at the clock was enough to make Zoe yawn, but she still shook Max's arm gently. "Max, wake up."

"No," Came the muffled response as he pulled the duvet tighter around himself.

"Max, wake up. It's Christmas!"

Hearing the happiness in Zoe's voice, Max finally opened one eye, but soon groaned as he saw the clock. "Zoe, it's 5am!"

"I couldn't sleep any longer. Let's go and open some presents before breakfast!" Zoe smiled down at Max, rubbing his arm to try and wake him properly.

Despite himself, Max smiled. He didn't think he'd ever seen Zoe so enthusiastic, especially at 5am in the morning. "Give me half an hour longer," He mumbled, shutting his eyes again.

"I'll go and make some coffee!" Zoe leapt from the bed and padded into the kitchen, humming a Christmas song. She may have had to agree to go to Greta's for the day, but Zoe was determined to have a proper, happy Christmas alone with Max before they went.

In bed, Max tried to fall back asleep, but the call of a happy Zoe was too much to ignore, and soon he too was walking into the kitchen, albeit with a yawn instead of a whistle. "Smells nice in here."

"It's a Christmas spice blend. You have half an hour to drink it before we need to move on to the next thing," Zoe replied, placing a cup into Max's hands.

"There's a schedule?" Max asked as he sniffed the steaming liquid before taking a hesitant sip.

"I want to fit in everything before we go to your mother's." Zoe took a sip of her own and shut her eyes with a smile as the velvet mix swirled around her mouth.

"What's on this schedule, then?" Max sat down at the table and pulled Zoe onto his lap.

"Half an hour for a liquid breakfast, then we will open one present, then, I thought I should probably schedule this in because we both know it's going to happen, we have sex. Then we have a proper breakfast, which I have already made, and then we will open the rest of our presents. After that, we will get dressed, and depending on what time Robyn shows up, we might have sex again, but if she's early I've scheduled the second round of sex for 2pm when everyone is asleep at your mum's." Zoe replied, relaxing against her husband with a happy sigh.

Max gave a soft laugh before dropping a kiss to Zoe's cheek. "I love you."

…

It was now 1.30pm and Max kept glancing at the clock every few seconds. Zoe's morning schedule had gone awry when his sister appeared just as they were opening their first present. Though they'd had a short make out session as they tried to dress, Max was still eager for their 2pm appointment as he watched Zoe bite into a chocolate, her eyes linked with Max's.

"So Max, you've had 3 Christmases as a married man now. Running out of idea's for presents yet?" His Uncle asked.

Max's eyes flickered momentarily shut as he remembered watching Zoe put on the suspenders he'd brought her their first Christmas, which she insisted on wearing every year.

"Max's presents never disappoint," Came Zoe's reply when Max remained silent.

"What did you get this year, then? All I got from him was a book," Greta pointed out. Though their relationship was still frosty, after Zoe had put Greta in her place over lunch a few months ago, there had been a silent respect from the older woman, and Zoe found herself occasionally enjoying the woman's presence.

Max's eyes flew open as Zoe stood up, and relief flooded his system when Zoe proceeded to show Greta only the necklace he'd brought her and not the lingerie he'd purchased.

* * *

1.45pm. He could do this. Only 15 more minutes.

Max's eyes scanned the room and he was pleased to see almost everyone was fast asleep or on their way there. Including Zoe, he noticed with dismay. Her eyes were shut, and their puppy Jimmy (named after Jimmy Choo) was flat on his back snoring on her lap.

Giving a mumbled excuse to those still awake, Max slid from the room and walked out into the cold, heading towards the out house his mother had set up as a games room for him when he was a boy.

* * *

"It's 2, wake up." A soft voice interrupted Max's dreams and he frowned as it made the dream fade away.

"Max," Zoe rubbed his chest gently, smiling with satisfaction when his eyes finally opened.

Max soon matched her smile as he saw the piece of mistletoe she was holding between them.

"Merry Christmas," Zoe offered.

"Merry Christmas," Max mumbled into his wife's lips as she kissed him deeply.

The mistletoe was soon forgotten, but the kisses were becoming so desperate that Zoe had to use all her strength to pull away from Max. When he frowned, she offered breathlessly, "I have another present for you. Unzip my dress."

Max did as he was told, and then watched with fascination as Zoe slid the garment over her head. Underneath, she was wearing what they called her 'christmas suspenders' with stockings, a bra that Max noted with amusement was a superman one, and underwear that had the number 24 on them.

"You were wearing this to have dinner with my family?" Max finally asked.

Zoe nodded, biting her lip to stop herself smiling at the glazed look that fell over her husband's eyes.

"And number 24…is that…"

"Number 24 is how I'm going to show you that I love you," Zoe replied.

"…This is going to take some topping next year, Zo." Max swallowed hard, finally managing to lift his eyes to his wife's.

"Oh, next year is already planned, and you know what it involves?" When Max shook his head, Zoe lowered her mouth to his ear and whispered a response.

"Fuck." Came Max's response.

* * *

"Where have you two been?" Greta asked an hour later when the pair walked back into the main house. "I'm just about to serve dessert."

"I've already had mine," Max offered, receiving a sharp elbow in the ribs from Zoe.


	24. 25 and 26

When Zoe pulled up outside the hospital, she was unable to pull the smile from her lips. Max had started before her, so she'd woken up alone and grumpy, and the pouring rain outside did not help her mood. However, standing next to her car spot was her husband with an umbrella and a coffee.

"Thank you," Zoe offered as she climbed from the car and swapped her bag for the coffee cup in his hand. "Have I told you recently how much I love you?"

"I think it was mentioned once or twice last night," Max grinned, readying himself for a kiss as Zoe leant forward. Instead though, Zoe took both the umbrella and the pastry he'd been eating from his hands, leaving him to be drenched and hungry. "Zoe? Zoe!"

...

"What happened to you?" Lofty frowned when his friend walked into the staffroom with a soaked t-shirt.

"The wife," Was all Max offered as he took the last pastry from Lofty's hand and bit into it.

"Max! I haven't had one yet. Max!" Lofty yelled after his friend before turning to look glumly at the apple that rested on the table.

* * *

"Zoe!"

An hour later, Zoe glanced up from the patient file she had been reading to find Max resting his elbows on the counter in front of her. "What?"

"So, I have to go on a CPR course upstairs, and I'm really worried about making an idiot of myself, so-"

Zoe interrupted her husband to mutter, "Never worried you before."

"Thanks. So, I was hoping I might get a kiss from my doctor wife before I go up in the hope that some of her knowledge might infiltrate my already stunningly full brain." Max finished, offering a hopeful smile.

Zoe caught Lofty standing off to the side watching them intently, but when she glanced at him, he looked quickly down at the file in front of him. Looking back at Max, Zoe gave a slight frown. "What's going on?"

"Nothing," Max offered with a wide smile. "I just love you."

Still looking slightly sceptical, Zoe leant forward to give her husband a kiss. Just as her body relaxed into it, however, he pulled away and offered her a quick thanks before rushing away, Lofty falling into step beside him as Max left the department.

Frowning, Zoe watched them for a moment before getting back to work.

* * *

When Zoe saw Max heading outside later that day, she put out a hand to stop him. "How did CPR go?"

"What? Oh, fine." Max offered, eyes on something outside, though when Zoe looked she saw nothing out of the ordinary.

"What's-" She attempted, but Max's attention suddenly shifted to her.

"New Years Eve today, you know. Most couples have been arguing for weeks about where they'll have their new years kiss." He offered a grin.

Folding her arms, sure something was going on now, Zoe replied with a frown. "Well I've already decided that I'm spending the night in bed asleep, so if you're after a midnight kiss, it won't be from me."

"Zooeeee. Come on. We finish at half 9, so that's only 2 and a half hours. Once we've had our new years kiss and said happy new year to everyone, we can go home and I will even get up early the next morning to make you a special new year breakfast." Max offered.

"Will you stop acting weird if I say yes?"

"Promise." Max grinned.

"Okay, fine. But once the clock hits midnight, we're out of there."

"Alright, Cinderella. I'll see you outside at half 9 and don't leave me hanging around."

"I might do if I want to, "Zoe replied, offering her own smile now.

* * *

At quarter to ten that evening, Zoe made her way outside, pulling the collar of her jacket up higher to protect herself from the chilling wind that blew.

When Max saw her finally walking from the hospital, he pushed himself from the wall and approached her slowly, a smile on his face. "You did that on purpose, didn't you?"

"Did what? I was stuck with a patient," Zoe offered innocently, shivering a little as Max slid one of his freezing hands into one of her warm ones.

"Sure. Listen, I need a favour." Max offered hopefully, stopping Zoe as they approached the outside of the Hope and Anchor.

"I feel like I've been doing favours for you all day, but I have no idea what the aim of them is," Zoe replied, undoing the tie on her coat so she could draw Max's hands into her coat to warm them up.

Max's hands caressed his wife's waist for a moment before replying, "Lofty is having this…sort of…girl trouble, and-"

"If you want me to pretend anything with him to get him a girl, I'm going home right now," Zoe interjected.

"No. No." As Zoe stepped away, Max pulled her back, holding her middle tightly against his own. "He's been with her on the quiet for a while now, because he was worried it would all go wrong, but now he thinks he's in love, and that she's bored of him."

"I don't see where I fit into any of this," Zoe grumbled, eager to get in to the warmth, even though she knew already by the loud talking from inside the pub that she'd prefer to go home and get into a warm bed, new years eve or not.

"He thinks she's bored of him because she keeps doing this sigh when they kiss, but I've been trying to prove to him that it's not a bored sigh, but an in love sigh," Max responded.

"I still don't get what I have to do with this, and I'm freezing, so I'm going inside."

Though Zoe stepped towards the pub door, a moment later she found herself pressed against it, Max's lips against her own. As before, just as she relaxed into his kiss, Max pulled away.

"See?"

"No."

"You do the same sigh she does!" Max replied.

"…I don't-"

"I've been trying to show Lofty that you do the same sigh to prove to him that she's not bored of him. He's going to sabotage the whole relationship if he keeps acting like he's not that interested, and he's really, really into her, Zo." Max offered earnestly.

"How do you know I don't sigh because I'm bored of you?" Zoe raised her eyebrow.

Max hesitated then, but only for a moment before the cheeky grin was back on his face, "Because it's not just when we kiss that you do that sigh."

"I have specific sighs that tell you how I'm feeling, then?" Zoe asked, reaching behind herself to put her hand on the doorhandle. Before Max could reply, she opened the door and stepped from his embrace, causing Max to stumble forward a little. "Are you sure it's not a bored sigh?"

…

Zoe only managed to last 15 minutes before she gave in and approached a rather glum looking Max and Lofty sat at the bar. "Which one is she, then?"

Both men looked up from their beer and glanced at one another before Max pointed out a woman sat by the window.

"I'll talk to her and find out how she feels as long as you two promise not to involve me in your…weirdness in future."

"I promise." Lofty said instantly before elbowing Max sharply in the ribs.

"I'll try," Max finally responded.

* * *

Two hours later, Max was too focused on Lofty as he danced with his new official girlfriend to notice that the countdown to the new year had begun. "I told you so. I told him so, too. I have a knack for reading women's sighs."

Zoe rolled her eyes, weary of talking about his bromance with Lofty and already regretting offering to go on a double date the next week.

"I mean, what's not to love about Lofty? He's funny, he's good looking, he's kind, he's-"

"Max!" Zoe finally snapped as the countdown ended and people began to celebrate by hugging and kissing those close to them.

"All I'm saying is that he-"

Zoe finally managed to silence her husband by kissing him. As Max began to relax into the kiss and let out a soft moan, however, Zoe drew back. 'You want to hear the 25th way I show you that I love you?"

Max nodded, grinning as Zoe slipped from her barstool.

"I just spent 2 hours listening to you talk about how much you love you best friend and I didn't kill you."

"It wasn't two hours. Zoe. Zoe!" Max jumped from his seat, grabbing their coats as he rushed after her.

…

An hour later, the pair lay entwined in bed, having made up for their lack of new year celebration. As Zoe yawned and nestled further into her husband's side, Max dropped a kiss to her head. "You know, you tolerating my bromance with Lofty is actually number 26."

"What's number 25 then?" Zoe asked, lifting her head up a little to look at her husband.

Max lowered his head and kissed his wife, smiling into her lips when she finally let a sigh escape. "That."


	25. 27

Max found himself watching his wife closely for signs of sadness. She'd just lost two patients in quick succession, and he was sure she would soon get misty eyed. Knowing her so well, Max knew that if he approached too soon, Zoe would snap at him and likely not seek him out when she did eventually give in to her tears, but if he left it too late, sometimes her tears lasted even longer.

She was currently in the relative's room trying to explain to a man why the wife who had come in with a suspected broken arm would now never be returning home. Though he was resting against a desk several feet away, Max could see his wife through the window of the door, and he knew she could see him too, for when it finally became too much, she turned her head to plead silently with him.

Max immediately stood straighter, approaching the room with the cup of sweet tea he'd made. Silently, he put the cup into the man's hands and sat beside him as Zoe ran a shaking hand through his hair.

"Is there anyone I can call for you?"

The man glanced up at Max and then at Zoe again before giving a slight shrug. "I don't know, I can't think."

"That's okay." Max responded, looking up to his wife to indicate she could leave now.

Zoe offered him a relieved smile and slipped from the room, making her way immediately to reception, intending to slip outside for a cigarette.

* * *

It wasn't until late that night that Zoe finally gave in to her tears. Max had fallen asleep long ago, but the darkness seemed to overwhelm Zoe and made her feel stifled, and she was unable to sleep, scared she wouldn't wake up.

The tears had come on suddenly, surprising Zoe when she felt the warm droplets fall onto the hands that clasped her knees to her chest. Once she realised she was crying, she couldn't stop and it grew louder and more painful until it finally woke Max up.

"Zoe?" Max asked sleepily into the darkness.

"I can't breathe," Zoe spoke in a strained voice, unable to draw in a proper breath through her sobs. "I can't breathe and I'm so tired but I'm scared I will die if I go to sleep!"

"It's okay," Max tried to soothe as he pushed himself up and pulled Zoe into his arms. "Just try and slow down your breath."

"I can't! There's not enough air in here. I can't breathe!"

After a moments thought, Max slipped from the bed, flicking on the main light as he collected Zoe's jacket and draped it around her shoulders. "Come on."

Trusting her husband, Zoe allowed Max to help her from the bed, and she didn't question him when he led her outside and away from their building. Still gulping for breath, she clung to him so tightly her knuckles were white, and she noticed neither the breeze nor the grass beneath her toes until Max suddenly stopped her and pulled her to sit on the ground.

"Open your eyes."

Zoe shook her head.

"Open them, Zo. Look."

Zoe finally, slowly, opened her eyes, her face still partially buried in the thin t-shirt Max had worn to bed with boxer shorts.

"Enough air for us both to breathe forever, and bright stars to chase away the dark," Max murmured in his wife's ear.

Slowly, Zoe moved her head so she could take in their surroundings. They were sat on top of the hill behind their apartment building, and the night was so clear the stars were shining brightly. The air she drew into her lungs felt crisp and new, like no one had ever breathed it before.

Zoe soon found her breathing had slowed and her heart was no longer racing, as though the cool wind had blown away all the pain of her day.

"Okay?" Max asked softly, his hand rubbing Zoe's arm.

She replied with a nod, turning her face to kiss his cheek. "How did you know what to do?"

"I know you." Max replied simply, dropping a kiss to Zoe's hair as she snuggled into his side again.

"I love you," Zoe mumbled into his side, shutting her eyes again, this time peacefully.

"You know what this is, don't you?"

Zoe smiled now. "Time to make love?"

"Close, but not what I was thinking about for once. This is number 27."

"But I haven't done anything to show you how much I love you," Zoe yawned, smiling again when Max's arms tightened around her.

"You let me lead you outside with no shoes on in the middle of the night without asking where I was taking you or why," Max pointed out.

Zoe's smile grew now and she lifted her head to smile at the man before her, "I love you," She repeated, capturing his lips.


	26. 28

"Are you okay, Zoe?" Robyn asked with a frown as the doctor entered the staffroom and sank with a sigh into the couch.

"Fine." Was the only grudging response she received.

"Are you sure? Because I-"

"If you keep probing Robyn, you're probably going to find out something you'd rather not know." Zoe offered.

"Oh. Right. Sorry."

As Robyn rushed from the room, Max sauntered in with a yawn as he pulled his dirty shirt over his head and walked to his locker. "Alright?"

"I can't stop thinking about sex."

Max gave a soft laugh as he dropped his old shirt into the washing and pulled a fresh one out of his locker. "Welcome to my world. With me, I hope."

"To be honest I'd take anyone right now. You'd be top choice, of course," She added when Max looked at her with raised eyebrows.

"What's brought this on, then?" Max asked as he sat down beside his wife, smirking as she moved away a little.

"Uh, maybe lack of it? I've worked almost 10 days straight, and that's the longest it's been since your leg injury." Zoe groaned, resting her head on the back of the sofa. "I think I'm going to explode."

"There are other ways to deal with that feeling, you know." Max offered as he bit into his sandwich, enjoying the view of Zoe squirming a little in her seat.

"Max, I'm exhausted. I don't have the energy for anything."

"Well, there are ways that don't involve you having to elicit any energy." Max responded, smiling when Zoe lifted her head to glance at him. "And it just so happens that if you're short on time I know exactly how to help you in under 2 minutes."

Zoe responded with a snort. "Yeah, right."

"Try me. My office, ten minutes."

Zoe watched in silence as Max sauntered from the room just as he'd come in.

* * *

Eleven and a half minutes later, Zoe cried out, unable to suppress the noise any longer, her fingers tightening so much on Max's hair that her knuckles grew white. She'd never experienced this feeling before, and her mind was already trying to work out when she next had a couple of minutes spare to repeat the process.

"Okay?" Max asked breathlessly, laughing softly at the gentle groan Zoe gave in response, her body feeling spent and more alive than ever all at once. "I'll take that as a yes." He sat heavily on the table in front of Zoe as she smiled dreamily.

* * *

"You look happier," Lofty noted as Dr Hanna made her way towards cubicles a short while later.

Zoe responded with a smile, and Robyn commented with a groan. "Oh, you didn't?! You two are insatiable!"

"Not me sis, it was all the good doctor." Max offered.

"SHUT UP!"

* * *

"Max!"

"Again?!" Max asked as Zoe rushed into his office that afternoon for the third time.

"What? No! You need to go home, something really bad has happened." Zoe grabbed his coat for him and pushed it into his hands.

"What?!"

"I've forgotten to record Coronation Street!"

"…Seriously, Zo?" Max rolled his eyes, dropping to his seat again.

"Please, Max. I can't miss out on tonight's episode, I need to see what happens with Norris." Zoe begged. Though she rarely had time to watch TV, she always recorded coronation street, and it was like a guilty pleasure that every Sunday morning she would lie on the couch with breakfast and watch that week's episodes.

"Alright, alright." Max stood up again. "But you'll have to cover for me, because my boss is on the warpath again."

"I will, I promise. Thank you." Zoe kissed Max firmly.

* * *

Two days later, it was Sunday and 48 hours with no work stretched in front of Zoe leisurely as she rested back on the couch, pajamas and slippers on. Right now, she had a week's worth of coronation street to watch, and then this afternoon she might have a bath and a glass of wine, and then tonight she was going out with Max, though he still wouldn't say where.

"Have you put it on yet?" A voice suddenly called, making Zoe jump. A moment later, Max's grinning, dirty face appeared above her.

"Why are you so filthy?! I thought you were going to breakfast with Lofty." Zoe crinkled her nose.

"Accidentally tackled him." Max offered as he slipped off his shoes and jumped over the back of the couch to join Zoe.

Zoe groaned and reached out to slip the muddy top from Max's body so it didn't touch the couch. "How can you accidentally tackle someone? Actually, on second thought, don't answer that. Now I'm putting Corrie on, so shut up."

"Yes, boss." Max replied, sliding his hands into Zoe's dressing gown before settling down to watch the tv.

* * *

"Wait…wasn't she with that guy last week?" Max frowned at the TV half an hour later.

"Eva? Her and Jason haven't been together in months." Zoe grumbled.

"…And what number husband is that one on these days?" Max pointed to the screen.

"6. Now shut up, Max."

"Sorry."

* * *

An hour later and Zoe felt like she was either going to go mad or kill her husband.

"I thought he was gay." Max mumbled as he consumed the brunch Zoe had to set out to enjoy whilst watching her favourite show.

"Why don't you google it?" Zoe asked through gritted teeth.

"What's his name?" Max asked as he pulled out his phone.

"What does it matter, Max?" Zoe questioned, exasperated. "you're only asking me questions because you're bored, and no one is trying to keep you here, so why don't you go and do something else?!"

"…I just wanted to spend some time with you." Max offered quietly.

Sighing, Zoe glanced at him and then leant forward to drop a kiss to his lips. "Stay, then. But be quiet."

* * *

As the music began on the final episode of the week, Max was distracted, but this time so was Zoe. Their lips were together and Zoe's dressing gown had long since been discarded.

"Has it finished?!" She pulled her head away momentarily, but it was soon guided back to Max.

"You'd really rather watch Norris than spend your spare time with me?" Max questioned, his hand slipping into Zoe's pyjama bottoms.

As Zoe's eyes flickered shut, she shook her head. "You." Was all she managed.

"Guess that's number 28, then." Max mumbled into his wife's lips.

He was soon rewarded with a smile.


	27. 29

_Thanks to Harriet1806 for this idea._

* * *

Zoe shut her eyes as she felt the warm burst of liquid hit her top. Her new top. She should have learnt by now not to wear new clothes into the ED. Eyes opening, she managed a smile for the patient and placed a bowl into his hands before excusing herself, blotting at her top as she made her way to the lift.

"Again?" Robyn questioned as Zoe waited for the lift doors. "That's twice this week and it's only Wednesday."

"I think it's time to give in and wear scrubs." Zoe replied, wrinkling her nose as the smell of vomit began to reach her. "Can you keep an eye on the patient in cubicle 2 while I go and change? Thanks."

A few short minutes later, Zoe slipped into her office with a fresh pile of scrubs to put on. Resting them on her desk, she then walked round and shut the blinds before locking the door. Now began the delicate removal stage, where she had to both try not to touch the vomit as she slid her top off, and make sure it didn't touch her skin anywhere else. Swearing softly to herself, Zoe cursed the zip at the back of the top as it stuck.

"What actually is an arsing knob bucket?" Came a sudden voice, making Zoe jump.

A sigh was released from her lips and a smile graced her mouth as Max appeared suddenly from behind her desk. "No idea, someone called Dylan that the other day. Why are you in here?"

Max wrinkled his nose at the state of Zoe's top before he walked around her and undid the zip. "Hiding from that new porter. He's trying to get an invite to my movie day with Lofty. Off?" When Zoe nodded, Max folded the top over itself and then slid it over her arms in one quick, clean movement.

Relieved to have the quickly cooling liquid away from her body, Zoe gave a sigh of relief and checked her middle to make sure nothing had seeped through before she reached out for the scrub top. "Even I'm not allowed to interrupt your movie day with Lofty, so I don't know where he gets the nerve to ask for an invite!"

Max had stopped listening to Zoe's words as soon as she turned to face him. As she unfolded the scrubs top, wrinkling her nose at its stiff texture, Max's eyes travelled over the body that never ceased to amaze him.

Soon realizing she had taken the wrong size, Zoe turned and walked to the filing cabinet hoping her hidden stash of tops hadn't been found, but was stopped before she reached it by warm hands wrapping slowly around her middle, drawing her back into her husband's body. As his lips dropped to her neck, Zoe's eyes flickered shut before she managed to say without conviction, "I need to get back to cubicles."

"I still don't believe it," was all Max replied.

"Believe what?" Zoe asked, though the last word sounded more like a sigh as she felt her bra clasp undo.

"There's this doctor in the ED who does amazing things every day, who saves lives and helps everyone she comes across-" Max paused for a moment to pepper kisses down the top of his wife's spine as she pressed back into him and placed a hand over the one which still rested on her middle, urging it lower. "She gives orders, she makes life changing decisions…and she still finds time to offer that smile and give that laugh. The same doctor who comes home and goes straight for the couch and refuses to make any decisions, and likes reality TV shows, and gets grumpy because she doesn't want to get out of her pajamas all weekend. This…conundrum of a doctor is my favourite person in the whole world, and she's mine."

Zoe tilted her head back, trying desperately to capture her husband's lips. He may be good at telling her how much she meant to him, but she knew how she could show him what he meant to her. She'd shown him 28 times recently how much she loved him, after all. When their lips finally connected, Zoe let out a soft moan and both of them stopped thinking.

* * *

"Shit. Shit shit shit shit." Zoe repeated, spinning around as she tried to locate her bra. Twenty minutes later, her scrub bottoms on, she was yet to locate both her bra or a top to put over it. "And you can stop grinning." She added without even glancing at Max, who was currently sat in her office chair with a grin on his face, already re-dressed and watching his wife rush around topless. "Can you see it anywhere?"

"Pot plant." Max finally offered, though he'd known it was there the whole time.

Relieved, Zoe grabbed the bra and put it on before slipping the too big scrubs top over her head, quickly dwarfing her frame and making Max smile again. "I was only supposed to be gone a few minutes!" Zoe grabbed her stethoscope and placed it around her neck as she rushed to the door, unlocking it.

Before she could pull it open, however, a hand rested over hers and another pulled her back in Max's body once more.

"Want to know something else I still don't believe?"

"I need to get back to work." Zoe responded, but she still turned around and rested against the door.

"I still can't believe that a doctor with a fellowship in emergency medicine who struggles to talk about her own feelings can mention the word love 15 times while having sex in her office during work hours." Max offered with a smirk.

Tutting, Zoe smiled and pushed her husband away before turning to open her office door.

* * *

"Sorry, Robyn. It went through my top so I had to have a shower." Zoe offered apologetically a few minutes later.

"It's fine. It was all quiet here, anyway." Zoe's sister-in-law smiled. "but you didn't happen to see Max, did you? We'll need a porter to take the patient in cubicle 3 upstairs soon."

"He'll show up. Max always seems to know when he's needed."

"Are my ears burning?" Max questioned as he turned the corner.

* * *

"What number are we up to now?"

Zoe glanced up from the staff rota to look at her husband. "29."

"What's 29?" Lofty questioned. "Oh, and are you still up for movie day tomorrow?"

"Movie day tomorrow? I'll bring the popcorn!" The new porter immediately cried as he wheeled an empty wheelchair past. "I've got a huge collection; I'll bring them all over. Or we could do it at my place? I've got a huge TV."

Lofty and Max glanced at one another, and then at the grinning porter. "Ah-"

"Actually, I was hoping you might be able to work tomorrow, Will? You did say you were looking for more shifts." Zoe offered.

"Oh. Oh. Well, I…I don't want to let the guys down."

"We'll be okay." Max responded.

"There's always next time." Lofty offered, earning an elbow in the ribs from Max.

"Well, I-" Will considered.

"Look, here's next weeks rota," Zoe interrupted, turning Will around so his back was to Lofty and Max., allowing them to slip away. "And you're only on it 3 times, so I just thought you might need an extra shift. If you're not interested…"

Max grinned widely. He knew that Will's name was only on it 3 times because Zoe was yet to actually finish the rota. She'd brought it home to work on the night before, but dinner and a warm bath had soon won out.

"…I better take tomorrow's shift. Thank you for thinking of me, Dr Hanna." Will finally offered.

When Zoe glanced over her shoulder, Max mouthed, "That was 29."

Smiling back, Zoe turned back to finish the staff rota. "You're a lifesaver, Will."


End file.
